Latest news with #NationalCommissionforMuseumsandMonuments
Hamilton Spectator
16 hours ago
- General
- Hamilton Spectator
Netherlands returns 119 looted artifacts known as Benin Bronzes to Nigeria
ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) — The Netherlands on Thursday returned 119 artifacts looted from Nigeria, including human and animal figures, plaques, royal regalia and a bell. The artifacts, known as the Benin Bronzes and mostly housed in a museum in the city of Leiden, were looted in the late 19th century by British soldiers. In recent years, museums across Europe and North America have moved to address ownership disputes over artifacts looted during the colonial era. They were returned at the request of Nigeria's National Commission for Museums and Monuments. During the handover ceremony in Edo State, Oba Ewuare II, the monarch and custodian of Benin culture, described the return of the artifacts as a 'divine intervention.' The Benin Bronzes were returned at the request of Nigeria's National Commission for Museums and Monuments. The restitution is a testament to the power of prayer and determination, the monarch said. The Dutch government is committed to returning artifacts that do not belong to the country, said Marieke Van Bommel, director of the Wereld Museum. Olugbile Holloway, the commission's director, said the return of 119 artifacts marks the largest single repatriation to date and that his organization is working hard to recover more items looted during colonial times. Nigeria formally requested the return of hundreds of objects from museums around the world in 2022. Some 72 objects were returned from a London museum that year while 31 were returned from a museum in Rhode Island . The Benin Bronzes were stolen in 1897 when British forces under the command of Sir Henry Rawson sacked the Benin kingdom and forced Ovonramwen Nogbaisi, the monarch at the time, into a six-month exile. Benin is located in modern-day southern Nigeria. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Winnipeg Free Press
16 hours ago
- General
- Winnipeg Free Press
Netherlands returns 119 looted artifacts known as Benin Bronzes to Nigeria
ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) — The Netherlands on Thursday returned 119 artifacts looted from Nigeria, including human and animal figures, plaques, royal regalia and a bell. The artifacts, known as the Benin Bronzes and mostly housed in a museum in the city of Leiden, were looted in the late 19th century by British soldiers. In recent years, museums across Europe and North America have moved to address ownership disputes over artifacts looted during the colonial era. They were returned at the request of Nigeria's National Commission for Museums and Monuments. During the handover ceremony in Edo State, Oba Ewuare II, the monarch and custodian of Benin culture, described the return of the artifacts as a 'divine intervention.' The Benin Bronzes were returned at the request of Nigeria's National Commission for Museums and Monuments. The restitution is a testament to the power of prayer and determination, the monarch said. The Dutch government is committed to returning artifacts that do not belong to the country, said Marieke Van Bommel, director of the Wereld Museum. Olugbile Holloway, the commission's director, said the return of 119 artifacts marks the largest single repatriation to date and that his organization is working hard to recover more items looted during colonial times. Nigeria formally requested the return of hundreds of objects from museums around the world in 2022. Some 72 objects were returned from a London museum that year while 31 were returned from a museum in Rhode Island. The Benin Bronzes were stolen in 1897 when British forces under the command of Sir Henry Rawson sacked the Benin kingdom and forced Ovonramwen Nogbaisi, the monarch at the time, into a six-month exile. Benin is located in modern-day southern Nigeria.
Euronews
a day ago
- General
- Euronews
Netherlands returns more than 100 Benin Bronzes looted from Nigeria
It took more than a century but they are finally home. The Netherlands have returned 119 Benin Bronzes to Nigeria, nearly 130 years after they were looted by British colonial troops. This shipment is the largest physical return of Benin artefacts to Nigeria to date. The Netherlands had agreed to their transfer in February upon request from the Nigerian government. The official handover ceremony will take place on 21 June at the National Museum in Lagos, in the presence of representatives from both nations. 'The symbolism of this occasion cannot be overemphasised and what it means for the pride and dignity of not just the Benin people, but the whole of Nigeria', said Olugbile Holloway, director-general of Nigeria's National Commission for Museums and Monuments, in a statement. 'We thank the Netherlands for the good example set and look forward to forging even greater ties between our two nations through cultural diplomacy', he added. Most of the Bronzes were part of the Dutch State Collection and were exhibited at the Wereldmuseum in Leiden. Four items will remain on display there on a loan agreement. 'We congratulate Nigeria on their persistent advocacy for the return of the Benin Bronzes', said Dutch Ambassador for International Cultural Cooperation Dewi van de Weerd. 'We hope that this restitution is not the final chapter, but the foundation for further cooperation between Dutch and Nigerian museums.' The Benin Bronzes are a group of several thousand plaques and sculptures made between the 15th and 19th centuries. Artefacts include ornaments, jewellery and masks, many of which decorated the royal palace of the Kingdom of Benin, now the Southern Nigerian Edo state. Most of these objects were stolen in 1897, during a brutal punitive expedition in which British troops killed thousands of people and looted the palace. Following the violent raid, the Kingdom of Benin was absorbed into colonial Nigeria. The stolen pieces were eventually sold to over 130 museums in 20 countries, mostly in the United Kingdom and Germany. Nigeria has relentlessly campaigned over the years to reclaim the Bronzes. The country signed a repatriation agreement with Germany in July 2022 for the return of 1,130 Benin Bronzes. Twenty of them landed in Abuja, the Nigerian capital, in December 2022. Nigeria also sent a repatriation request to the British Museum in October 2021. The institution retains over 900 objects from the Kingdom of Benin. Debates over the restitution of Africa's looted art has reached several European countries in recent years. Benin received 26 royal treasures from France in 2021. The pieces were stolen during the 1892 colonisation of the Dahomey kingdom. Mati Diop's 2024 documentary Dahomey chronicled the restitution process. The Nigerian government has yet to announce how and where the newly returned Benin Bronzes will be displayed. In the meantime, young contemporary artists from Benin city, in southern Nigeria, have put together an exhibition on 'Reclaiming heritage: new narratives', currently on display in the National Museum in Lagos. Renowned British actor, author and broadcaster Stephen Fry has labelled Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling a 'lost cause' and stated that she has been 'radicalised by TERFs' - the acronym that stands for 'trans-exclusionary radical feminist'. The term is used by transgender activists against gender critics like Rowling, who has dedicated much of her online presence to defending her views while expressing transphobic views. During the recording of the podcast The Show People, Fry, who previously narrated all seven Harry Potter audiobooks, said: "She has been radicalised I fear and it maybe she has been radicalised by TERFs, but also by the vitriol that is thrown at her.' As reported by The Daily Mail, Fry continued: 'It is unhelpful and only hardens her and will only continue to harden her I am afraid. I am not saying that she not be called out when she says things that are really cruel, wrong and mocking. She seems to be a lost cause for us.' 'I am sorry because I always liked her company,' he added. 'I found her charming, funny and interesting and then this thing happened, and it completely altered the way she talks and engages with the world now.' He continued by saying that Rowling's 'contemptuous' comments 'add to a terribly distressing time for trans people.' Stephen Fry spoke in the aftermath of the UK Supreme Court ruling in April that determined that 'woman' meant a biological female and not gender. Lord Hodge said the five Supreme Court justices had unanimously decided that 'the terms woman and sex in the Equality Act refer to a biological woman and biological sex.' Many expressed fears that the ruling could put trans and non-binary people in danger. Stonewall's chief executive Simon Blake said that the ruling 'will be incredibly worrying for the trans community and all of us who support them.' Meanwhile, Rowling celebrated the ruling by posting a picture of herself smoking a cigar on her yacht. Fry's recent comments have been met with a torrent of bile online... ... as well as some support, highlighting quite how divisive the issue remains. Fry is not the only former Harry Potter star to speak out and criticise Rowling's continued hateful rhetoric. Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint have all spoken out against her controversial views. Last year, Radcliffe told The Atlantic that Rowling's views 'make me really sad', adding: 'Because I do look at the person that I met, the times that we met, and the books that she wrote, and the world that she created, and all of that is to me so deeply empathic.' Watson expressed her support, stating: "Trans people are who they say they are and deserve to live their lives without being constantly questioned or told they aren't who they say they are." Meanwhile Rupert Grint said: "I firmly stand with the trans community... Trans women are women. Trans men are men. We should all be entitled to live with love and without judgment." Rowling previously said that she wouldn't forgive the Harry Potter stars who have criticised her views. 'Celebs who cosied up to a movement intent on eroding women's hard-won rights and who used their platforms to cheer on the transitioning of minors can save their apologies for traumatised detransitioners and vulnerable women reliant on single sex spaces,' she wrote on X. Earlier this year, Rowling reignited tensions with the actors by taking an indirect jab at Radcliffe, Watson and Grint. In March, she was asked: 'What actor/actress instantly ruins a movie for you?' Rowling replied: 'Three guesses. Sorry, but that was irresistible.' By contrast, Tom Felton, who played Draco Malfoy in the franchise, said he remains 'grateful' to Rowling. 'I'm not really that attuned,' said Felton. 'The only thing I always remind myself is that I've been lucky enough to travel the world. Here I am in New York. And I have not seen anything bring the world together more than Potter, and she's responsible for that. So I'm incredibly grateful.' His comments sparked a wave of differing reactions - some applauded him for what they called a 'classy response,' while others condemned his words as 'atrocious,' 'spineless,' and 'disappointing.'
France 24
2 days ago
- Politics
- France 24
Netherlands returns over 100 Benin Bronzes looted from Nigeria
It is the latest return of artefacts to Africa, as pressure mounts on Western governments and institutions to hand back the spoils of colonial oppression. "On this historic occasion it gives us great joy to finally welcome the return of 119 Benin Bronzes from the Netherlands," said Olugbile Holloway, director-general of Nigeria's National Commission for Museums and Monuments. "This represents the largest physical return to Nigeria and the people of Benin since the looting of the Benin Royal Palace by the British in 1897," he said in a statement jointly issued with the Dutch embassy in Nigeria. "The symbolism of this occasion cannot be overemphasised and what it means for the pride and dignity of not just the Benin people, but the whole of Nigeria," added Holloway. The story of the Benin Bronzes is one of violence and tragedy. It began when nine British officers were killed on a trade mission to the then-independent kingdom of Benin, in the south of present-day Nigeria. The British reaction was fierce. London deployed a military expedition to avenge its officers. The troops killed several thousand locals and torched Benin's capital city. They looted the royal palace, stealing hundreds of artworks, including the Benin Bronzes. Most of the ornate bronzes were then sold to finance the expedition, auctioned off or sold to museums across Europe and the United States. This was in 1897, and 128 years later, Nigeria is still negotiating the return of the bronzes around the world -- with mixed results. Dutch Ambassador for International Cultural Cooperation Dewi van de Weerd hailed Nigeria for persistently campaigning for the return of the cultural artefacts. "We hope that this restitution is not the final chapter, but the foundation for further cooperation between Dutch and Nigerian museums," said van de Weerd in the joint statement. Of the 119 objects, 113 were part of the Dutch State Collection, while the Rotterdam municipality returned the other six. The pieces will be officially handed over on Saturday.
Euronews
20-02-2025
- General
- Euronews
Netherlands to return over 100 Benin Bronzes to Nigeria
The Benin Bronzes are a collection of thousands of metal plaques and sculptures that decorated the royal palace of the Kingdom of Benin. Created between the 14th and 16th century, British soldiers looted the Benin Bronzes from modern-day Nigeria in the 19th century. Of the looted statues taken during the Benin Expedition of 1897, two hundred were housed in the British Museum with the rest spread across other European institutions. The Netherlands has agreed to return its share of the Benin Bronzes. The 119 statues have been mostly housed in Leiden and will now be given to the Nigeria's National Commission for Museums and Monuments. The development comes as governments and museums in Europe and North America have increasingly sought to resolve ownership disputes over objects looted during colonial times. Olugible Holloway, the commission's director, traveled to The Netherlands to sign the transfer agreement during a ceremony at the Museum Volkenkunde marking what he said was the largest single return of antiques looted from Benin. 'We thank the Netherlands for their cooperation and hope this will set a good example for other nations of the world in terms of repatriation of lost or looted antiquities,' Holloway said in a statement. Nigeria formally requested the return of hundreds of objects from museums around the world in 2022. Some 72 objects were returned from a London museum that year while 31 were returned from a museum in Rhode Island. The decision to return the items in the Dutch collection followed an assessment of a committee tasked with looking into requests by countries for restitution of artifacts in state museums. It marked the fifth time Dutch cultural institutions have returned objects based on the committee's recommendation. 'Cultural heritage is essential for telling and living the history of a country and a community,' Eppo Bruins, the Dutch culture and education minister, said in a statement. 'The Benin Bronzes are indispensable to Nigeria. It is good that they are going back.' The committee is currently considering requests from Sri Lanka, India and Indonesia for the return of objects. In 2023, two Dutch museums returned hundreds of cultural artifacts back to Indonesia and Sri Lanka taken, often by force, during the colonial era. Over at the British Museum, arguments still rage over requests to return cultural heritage to their original countries. The London museum houses over 900 Benin Bronzes. While the museum insists it has had positive discussions with Nigeria on the issue, the 2023 scandal over thefts from the museum caused consternation from Nigeria. 'It's shocking to hear that the countries and museums that have been telling us that the Benin Bronzes would not be secure in Nigeria have thefts happening there,' Abba Isa Tijani, Nigeria's National Commission for Museums and Monuments's director told the press at the time. Although UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has expressed more openness to returning the Elgin Marbles than his predecessors, there has been no change in the museum's long-standing position of keeping them.
