The Benin Monarch, Oba Ewuare II, has received another stolen artefact from the Netherlands as a gift to mark his 10th coronation anniversary.
Executive Director of Museum de Fundatie Netherlands, Beatrice Von Bormann, presented the artefact on Tuesday evening in the presence of the Portuguese Ambassador to Nigeria, Paulo Martins Santos.
Bormann said she was happy to return the object that has been in the museum since 1937.
He said investigation traced production of the artefact to the 18th century, saying the artefact has travelled round the world and said it symbolised reincarnation and the olokun deity.
“We are returning this artefact to the Oba because this is its place of origin. It has travelled around the world, and we are happy to return it,” Bormann noted.
Receiving the artefact, Oba Ewuare II recalled how his forebears wanted to accept the Catholic faith as introduced by the Portuguese in the 15th century, but that the people stood firmly by their traditional worship.
Oba Ewuare II said the Benin people have their spiritual portal to ascend communication to God.
“We have a very unique link with the Portuguese. When I was told that the Portuguese Ambassador was around, it was like telepathy, because I had been thinking already about Portugal,” Oba Ewuare II said.
The Benin monarch said he was surprised to learn that the Vatican recognised African traditional religions.
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