Germany to return more Benin Bronzes to Nigeria

These art pieces were spread throughout Europe and the United States. Now, these countries intend to return them.

Germany signed an agreement on Thursday to transfer ownership to Nigeria of the Benin Bronzes, which were looted in the 19th century.

The Benin Bronze is a historic artwork that features different figures of the Benin people. In 2020, A New York Times article titled, 'Give us back what our ancestors made." sparked various conversations and now many European countries are returning these artworks.

British soldiers took hundreds of bronzes - intricate sculptures and plaques dating back to the 13th century onwards - when they invaded the Kingdom of Benin in 1897 and placed them in their museums.

All this is changing, as these artworks are finding their way back home. On Thursday, the Foundation of Prussian Cultural Heritage (SPK) and Nigeria's National Commission for Museums and Monuments (NCMM) signed a deal transferring their ownership from the Ethnological Museum collection in Berlin to Nigeria.

The first set of these Bronzes was returned in July, and one-third of them will still be on loan in Germany for 10 years or more but at least some will be home at last.