The Netherlands has returned a historic Benin artefact to Nigeria, 129 years after it was taken from the Benin Kingdom during the British invasion of 1897.
The artefact was formally presented to the Oba of Benin, Oba Ewuare II, at his palace in Benin City on Tuesday, October 20, 2026, as part of activities marking the monarch’s 10th coronation anniversary.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the presentation was made by the Consul General of the Netherlands, Frank Keurnorst, alongside Beatrice van Bormann, Executive Director of Museum De Fundatie in the Netherlands.
The development marks another milestone in Nigeria’s efforts to recover cultural heritage objects removed during the colonial era.
Benin palace welcomes Dutch artefact return
Chairman of the 10th Coronation Anniversary Committee and former Edo State Deputy Governor, Lucky Imasue, described the return as a significant achievement in the kingdom’s longstanding campaign for the restitution of its cultural treasures.
- He explained that the Netherlands had initiated efforts to return artefacts removed from Benin following the 1897 invasion, adding that more historical objects were expected to be repatriated.
- According to Imasue, the recovered artefacts originally belonged to the Oba of Benin and served as historical records documenting the kingdom’s royal traditions, governance and cultural heritage.
- He noted that successive Benin monarchs had pursued their recovery, but the campaign gained further momentum under Oba Ewuare II, whose diplomatic background helped strengthen international engagements.
- Imasue also stated that the Federal Government, through the National Commission for Museums and Monuments (NCMM), recognised the historical connection between the artefacts and the Benin Palace.
He commended the Dutch government for facilitating the return and selecting the monarch’s coronation anniversary for the presentation.
Oba Ewuare II strengthens cultural ties
Speaking during the anniversary celebration, Oba Ewuare II welcomed the return of the historical object and expressed appreciation to the Netherlands for its contribution to the restitution process.
The monarch also acknowledged the presence of Portuguese Ambassador to Nigeria, Paulo Santos, and the Dutch Consul General at the ceremony.
He disclosed plans to strengthen cultural and historical relations between the Benin Kingdom and Portugal, citing longstanding connections dating back to early European contact with the kingdom.
Ewuare highlighted the historical influence of Portuguese religious traditions on the Holy Aruosa Church in Benin, explaining that the institution reflected elements of Catholic practices alongside indigenous spiritual beliefs.
European Countries Return Looted Benin Bronzes
The return of the artefact comes amid sustained efforts by the Nigerian government to recover thousands of historical objects looted from the Benin Kingdom during the British invasion of 1897.
- In February 2025, the Netherlands announced plans to return 113 Benin Bronzes to Nigeria, marking one of the largest restitutions of cultural artefacts by a European country. The objects, primarily held at the Wereldmuseum in Rotterdam, were among those removed from the kingdom more than a century ago.
- The development followed similar efforts by other European countries. In July 2022, Nigeria and Germany signed an agreement for the repatriation of 1,130 Benin Bronzes, while the Horniman Museum in London began returning 72 artefacts later that year.
- The United States also joined the restitution efforts in October 2022, returning 23 looted Benin artefacts to Nigeria through several cultural institutions, including the Smithsonian National Museum of African Art.
Beyond their historical significance, the return of these objects has implications for Nigeria’s cultural and tourism sectors, with authorities identifying heritage preservation, museum development and cultural tourism as potential economic opportunities.