The Nigerian government formally recognized the Oba of Benin, Ewuare II, as the rightful owner of the Benin Bronzes. On March 23, the government made the announcement saying “By the announced law, all artefacts must be delivered to the Oba of Benin who exercises the rights of original owner. This covers the ones already repatriated and those yet to be repatriated.”
Many speculate that the move will only further complicate the repatriation process. The Benin Bronzes are a collection of bronze statues that were looted by British troops from the Kingdom of Benin in the late 19th century. Other objects, like ivory tusks and masks of rulers, are also included in this collection. Estimate to be around 3000, the objects have since spread across the world.
In recent years, Benin Bronzes have found themselves at the center of a global repatriation and restitution debate in the art world. Many successful repatriation efforts have occurred, including in France, Scotland, and the UK. However, the new regulations put the repatriation efforts in some chaos. So far, the objects have been handed over to Nigeria, which comprises much of the erstwhile Benin kingdom. But now, the objects will be under the private ownership of the Oba.
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Already, there have been disagreements on the location of the objects. The governor of Edo state has expressed his wish to display the objects at the Edo Museum of West African Art, while Ewuare II has said that he would like to display them at his private museum and palace.
