The National Commission for Museums and Monuments in Nigeria has recieved 29 of the stolen Benin Bronzes from Smithsonian National Museum
The bronzes were part of the museum’s collection, were stolen from Nigeria during the 1897 British raid on Benin City.
According to a report obtained from https://www.si.edunewsdesk.com,the transfer of ownership was formalized in a ceremony at the National Museum of African Art Tuesday, Oct. 11. which was was held in conjunction with the National Gallery of Art, which returned the Benin bronze from its collection.
The reports reads “Not only was returning ownership of these magnificent artifacts to their rightful home the right thing to do, it also demonstrates how we all benefit from cultural institutions making ethical choices,” said Lonnie Bunch, Secretary of the Smithsonian.
“Sharing knowledge and stewardship with origin communities will help us better understand and preserve important cultural heritage like the Benin bronzes and illuminate it for future generations in the United States and around the world.”
The Secretary was joined at the ceremony by Ngaire Blankenberg, director of the National Museum of African Art; Kaywin Feldman, director of the National Gallery of Art; Lai Mohammed, Minister of Information and Culture of Nigeria; and Prince Aghatise Erediauwa, representing the oba, or ruler, of the Kingdom of Benin.
“Nigeria is immensely gratified at the commendable decision of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African Art, the National Gallery of Art and the Rhode Island School of Design to return these artefacts that left Africa over a century ago,” Mohammed said. “Nigeria looks forward to working with these institutions on joint exhibitions and other educational exchanges. By returning the artefacts, these institutions are together writing new pages in history. Their brave decision to return the timeless artworks is worth emulating.”
The return of these Benin Bronzes is the first return under the Smithsonian’s new ethical returns policy announced this spring. This policy authorizes Smithsonian museums to return collections to the community of origin based on ethical considerations, such as the manner and circumstances in which the items were originally acquired
https://www.si.edu/newsdesk/releases/smithsonian-returns-29-benin-bronzes-national-commission-museums-and-monuments
