Cambridge University returns 116 Benin artefacts to Nigeria

Cambridge University in the United Kingdom, has formally transferred legal ownership of 116 Benin artefacts in its Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology to Nigeria’s National Commission for Museums and Monuments (NCMM)

The university described the move as a major step in its ongoing efforts to address the colonial-era dispossession of cultural heritage.

The decision, announced on Monday, followed a formal request by the NCMM in January 2022 for the return of objects taken by British troops during the 1897 sacking of Benin City. The university’s Governing Council supported the claim, and authorisation was subsequently granted by the UK Charity Commission.

The artefacts, mainly cast in brass, as well as ivory and wooden sculptures, were seized during the so-called ‘Punitive Expedition’ mounted by British forces in February 1897, following a violent trade dispute the previous month.

The university said arrangements for the physical transfer of most of the objects would be made in due course.

A small number will remain in Cambridge on loan and on display at MAA, where they will continue to be accessible to visitors, students, and researchers.

According to the university, its decision aligns with similar commitments made by museums in the UK, the United States, and Europe to return Benin material taken during the colonial period.