The Netherlands has returned 119 looted Benin artifacts to Nigeria, marking the largest single repatriation to date. The items, taken by British forces in 1897, include royal regalia and bronze figures. Nigerian officials and the Oba of Benin praised the move, calling it a significant cultural and spiritual restoration. Efforts to recover more artifacts looted during colonial times are ongoing.

The Netherlands on Thursday returned 119 artifacts looted from Nigeria, including human and animal figures, plaques, royal regalia, and a bell. These items, collectively known as the Benin Bronzes, were taken by British soldiers in the late 19th century and had been kept primarily in a museum in Leiden.

In recent years, museums across Europe and North America have taken steps to address ownership disputes involving artifacts taken during the colonial era. Nigeria’s National Commission for Museums and Monuments had formally requested the return of the Benin Bronzes as part of broader restitution efforts.

At the handover ceremony held in Edo State, Oba Ewuare II, the monarch and cultural custodian of Benin, described the return of the artifacts as a “divine intervention.” He said the restitution reflects the power of prayer and determination. Marieke Van Bommel, director of the Wereld Museum in the Netherlands, stated that the Dutch government is committed to returning cultural items that do not rightfully belong to it.

Olugbile Holloway, Director-General of Nigeria’s National Commission for Museums and Monuments, described the return of the 119 items as the largest single repatriation to date. He added that the commission is working diligently to recover more artifacts looted during colonial times.

In 2022, Nigeria officially requested the return of hundreds of cultural objects from institutions around the world. That year, 72 items were returned from a museum in London, and 31 from a museum in Rhode Island.

The Benin Bronzes were originally looted in 1897 when British forces, led by Sir Henry Rawson, invaded and sacked the Benin Kingdom. The attack forced then-monarch Ovonramwen Nogbaisi into six months of exile. The Kingdom of Benin is located in present-day southern Nigeria.