THE return of 22 looted artifacts, known as the Benin bronzes, from Germany to Nigeria last December was initially hailed as a step towards healing the wounds of the colonial past between Europe and Africa. However, questions have arisen in Germany regarding the decision to hand back the priceless treasures, as controversy emerged when Nigeria’s former President Muhammadu Buhari unexpectedly declared in March that the artifacts would be returned to the traditional ruler, the Oba of Benin, rather than to the Nigerian state as Germany had anticipated.
President Buhari’s statement indicated that custody of the repatriated bronzes would be entrusted to the Oba, who would assume responsibility for their management and the places where they would be kept. This announcement was among Buhari’s final acts in office before being succeeded by Bola Tinubu following elections. Nonetheless, it stirred introspection in Germany, where critics argued that it appeared to breach a key understanding with Nigeria.
Under a July 2022 agreement, Germany committed to returning around 1,100 bronzes from 20 of its museums, and both parties recognised the importance of making the works accessible to the public. Plans were made to display the bronzes in a new museum in Benin City, located in southern Edo state. However, the state of Saxony has put further restitutions on hold pending clarification on how the Oba’s ownership would impact the public display of the bronzes.
The Grassi Museum in Saxony was one of the five museums that returned the 22 bronzes in December, while other museums in the state still hold 262 pieces. The state is awaiting clarity on the situation and the approach of the new government before proceeding with additional returns. A spokesperson for the Saxon culture ministry told AFP, ‘We will not take any new steps’ until the matter is clarified.
Regarding President Buhari’s declaration, German foreign ministry spokesperson Christopher Burger emphasised that the return of the bronzes was ‘not subject to conditions.’ He asserted that it was the sovereign decision of Nigeria to determine the fate of the artifacts, but also highlighted the importance of ensuring public access to the Benin bronzes. German Culture Minister Claudia Roth expressed surprise and irritation at the response in Germany, stating that the decision now rested with the current owner—the sovereign state of Nigeria.
Hermann Parzinger, president of the Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation (SPK), which oversees the Ethnological Museum in Berlin, expressed confidence that Buhari’s declaration would not cast doubt on future restitutions. The Ethnological Museum holds about 530 historical objects from the ancient kingdom of Benin, including more than 400 bronzes, making it one of the most significant collections outside of London’s British Museum. The Museum of Ethnology in Hamburg also returned artifacts in December and has reached an agreement to return 179 pieces to Nigeria, with one-third remaining in Hamburg.
Abba Isa Tijani, the head of the Nigerian government agency responsible for recovering looted works, assured that the planned museum project in Benin City would proceed unaffected by Buhari’s declaration. Tijani affirmed that the Oba of Benin relied on the museum and emphasized that the objects would be made available to researchers, the public, and tourists. He further noted that selling Nigerian antiquities was prohibited in Nigeria.
Peju Layiwola, an art historian and artist in Nigeria who played a significant role in advocating for the return of the bronzes, dismissed the reaction of Western museums to the declaration as an excuse to withhold the artifacts. Layiwola asserted, ‘It’s an excuse… to not return those artifacts because they didn’t want to give them back.’
