As part of efforts to recover Benin bronzes carted away by the colonial masters, the federal government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Genrman government to repatriate the artefacts by 2022.
This formed part of deliberations today, during the visit of German delegation to Abuja, led by the Director-General for Culture and Communication, German Federal Foreign Office, Dr. Andreas Görgen.
The Director- General of National Commission for Museums and Monuments (NCMM), Prof. Abba Isa Tijani signed the MoU on behalf of Nigeria while Dr. Andreas Görgen endorsed it on behalf of Germany.
Other members of the German delegation are: Director of Museum at the Rothenbaum – Cultures and Arts of the World in Hamburg (MARKK), who is also the spokesperson for the Benin Dialogue Group, Prof. Dr. Barbara Plankensteiner, and President of the Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation, Prof. Dr. Hermann Parzinger.
German Minister of State for Culture, Monika Grutters had during a meeting with the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed in Berlin, Germany in July this year, disclosed that 1,130 artefacts would be returned to Nigeria.
The MoU stipulates that the return of Benin bronzes from German museums will be embedded in a broad collaboration in the areas of archeology, museum facilities and museum cooperation.
Reacting, the German Ambassador to Nigeria, Birgitt Ory, said: “I am delighted that the German delegation achieved so much progress. This underlines again our commitment to the Nigerian–German cooperation in this field. We commend our Nigerian partners for their cooperation and are looking forward to the next steps“.
Also, the head of the German delegation, Dr. Andreas Görgen, added, “I am very pleased that, after the previous meetings, we were able to create a reliable basis for the return of Benin bronzes and for further cooperation. I am sure that our joint engagement will put Nigerian–German cultural relations on a new foundation.”
At the end of the talks, it was agreed that the process leading to the return of Benin bronzes will begin in the second quarter of 2022, with transfer of ownership.
Both parties also agreed that Benin bronzes will continue to be exhibited in German museums and that there will be cooperation on exhibition projects.
The next meeting is scheduled for December 2021 in Germany, when a framework agreement would be concluded.