President Bola Tinubu says his administration will construct a prestigious museum to house the recently repatriated Benin artefacts from various parts of the world.
Delivering his statement on Friday during a reception held at the state house for Omo N’Oba N’Edo Uku Akpolokpolo Ewuare II, the Oba of Benin, and other prominent traditional leaders, Tinubu assured the monarch of his administration’s support in establishing the proposed museum by the Benin royal council.
Amidst congratulating the monarch on the successful retrieval of the stolen artefacts, Tinubu reiterated the importance of preserving the historical pieces, stating, “It deserves our protection. We are glad to have them back, and we are glad you are happy. They are in protective custody. It is a matter of history, over a hundred years. We will work on the museum.”
The president also expressed his commitment to considering the development of roads in Edo state, based on a request made by the traditional ruler.
Oba Ewuare II, in his address, lauded Tinubu’s administration for its remarkable achievements in the early days of his tenure. “We’ve predicted that you would hit the ground running, and you have done so, even faster than we thought,” commended the monarch. He further declared that Tinubu’s initiatives had rejuvenated the nation’s hope and set Nigeria on a transformative path towards progress and development.
In October 2022, TheCable reported the recovery of 31 Benin bronzes, stolen 125 years ago, from three museums in the United States. Among them, the Smithsonian National Museum of African Art returned 29 pieces, while the National Gallery of Art and the Rhode Island School of Design Museum surrendered the remaining artworks.
Subsequently, in a noteworthy development nearly a month later, the Horniman Museum, situated in south-east London in the United Kingdom, relinquished 72 forcefully acquired artefacts to the Nigerian government—an act that created ripples of appreciation for the commitment to preserving cultural heritage.
The endeavor to establish a museum dedicated to safeguarding Benin artefacts is a significant stride towards cherishing and preserving the nation’s rich historical legacy.