Netherlands Returns Benin Artefact 129 Years After British Invasion

The Netherlands has returned a historical Benin artefact to the Oba of Benin, Oba Ewuare II, nearly 130 years after the 1897 invasion of the Benin Kingdom during which numerous cultural objects were looted. The presentation took place at the Oba’s Palace in Benin City, Edo State, on Tuesday, October 20, as part of activities marking the monarch’s 10th coronation anniversary. Chief Lucky Imasue, chairman of the anniversary committee and a former deputy governor of Edo State, disclosed that the Netherlands had initiated the return of the artefact taken from the kingdom following the British invasion. He said the returned object formed part of the kingdom’s historical heritage and expressed hope that additional artefacts would be repatriated in the future. According to Imasue, the artefact was presented by the Consul General of the Netherlands, Frank Keurnorst, alongside Beatrice van Bormann, executive director of Museum De Fundatie in the Netherlands. He described the presentation as particularly significant because it coincided with the 10th anniversary of Ewuare II’s coronation, exactly 129 years after the invasion that resulted in the removal of numerous objects from the kingdom. Imasue explained that the artefacts preserved important records of the Benin Kingdom, including the history of its monarchy, royal traditions and the lives of its people before the invasion. He said efforts to recover the objects began under previous Obas but gained momentum during Ewuare II’s reign, with the monarch’s diplomatic background helping to advance the campaign. The committee chairman also stated that the Federal Government, through the National Commission for Museums and Monuments, recognised the historical connection between the objects and the Oba’s Palace. He expressed appreciation to the Dutch government and its people for facilitating the return and choosing the coronation anniversary as the occasion for the presentation. In his anniversary address, Ewuare II thanked the Netherlands for returning the historical object after more than a century abroad. The monarch also acknowledged the presence of the Portuguese Ambassador to Nigeria, Paulo Santos, and the Dutch consul general at the ceremony. He expressed interest in strengthening cultural and historical relations with Portugal, recalling the country’s historical connections with the Benin Kingdom. Ewuare II cited the Holy Aruosa Church in Benin as an example of the historical interaction between Portuguese religious influences and the kingdom’s traditional beliefs. He explained that his ancestors had sought to embrace aspects of Catholicism while maintaining their indigenous spiritual practices, resulting in a church with elements reflecting both traditions. “The Benin kingdom maintains its traditional spiritual portals of communication with Almighty God,” the monarch said. The Oba also recalled his experience as Nigeria’s ambassador in Rome, where he said he learnt about the Vatican’s growing recognition of African traditional religions. He subsequently commended van Bormann for her involvement in the assignment that facilitated the artefact’s return. The latest presentation comes amid broader international efforts to return cultural objects removed from the Benin Kingdom during the 1897 British military expedition. In June 2025, Nigeria received 119 Benin artefacts from the Netherlands following an agreement between the two countries. The objects formed part of a larger restitution effort involving items held in Dutch public collections. The Netherlands had announced in February 2025 that it would return 113 objects from its state collection, with six additional works being returned by the municipality of Rotterdam. The return of the artefact to the Oba in October 2026 is a separate reported presentation. The available report does not specify the object's identity or establish whether it was part of the earlier group of 119 artefacts. The continued return of Benin cultural objects remains an important issue in discussions about colonial-era looting, historical accountability and the preservation of Nigeria’s cultural heritage.