Is it time for Britain to return looted artefacts?

The handing over of looted wealth to the respective countries began with the return of a bronze rooster and a bronze one-headed royal statue of the Oba family.

Although Nigeria had long been scrambling to recover its looted bronze artefacts (known as Benin bronzes) held by British institutions, Nigeria was left empty-handed as of late last year. This remained the case until the University of Aberdeen and Jesus College, University of Cambridge, transferred ownership of one each to the Nigerian authorities in October last year.

These two artifacts were looted during the British military campaign to punish the Benin royal government in 1897, which resulted in the destruction of many lives and the looting of many cultural treasures.

After nearly 125 years, Britain has lagged behind other European countries in pledging to return such artefacts to their countries of origin. For example, French President Emmanuel Macron said in November 2017 that he would like to see Africa’s legacy from Paris back to ‘Dakar, Lagos and Contonou’, but the British leader does not seem ready for such an idea.

Yet even in the UK, support for sending items back to their countries of origin is gaining ground. Less than a year after the Aberdeen and Cambridge returns, the ‘Hornman’ has become the first UK government-funded museum to announce it will return dozens of items to Nigeria.

In early August, Eve Salomon, head of the museum’s trustees, explained why all board members agreed. “The evidence is very clear that these items were obtained by force and external consultation supports our view that returning them to Nigeria is a moral obligation and the right decision,” he said in a statement.

Erica Crump of the law firm Bates Wells, which advised Horneman in the case, says, “We hope this decision builds trust and understanding that funded organizations can negotiate return requests.” It will help that there is scope for these decisions to be made within the bounds of charity law.’

As well as seeking permission from the Charity Commission, museums such as the Horneman will likely have to approach the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Support (DCMS) for guidance.

Crump says that ‘DCMS was consulted and supporters of Horneman’s decision may represent a change in attitude.’

Bankole Sodepo, a Nigerian professor and expert on intellectual property law who was instrumental in the return of the items from Aberdeen and Cambridge, believes that a decisive moment has arrived in the UK, putting more pressure on reluctant institutions such as the British Museum. will increase ‘I am very happy with what is happening now,’ he tells me. People are saying, now is the time, now is the time.’ Aberdeen had asked for their voluntary assistance in returning Benin’s bronze artefacts.

He was instrumental in bringing together the relevant stakeholders in Nigeria and bringing the process to a smooth conclusion. The Oba’s palace (the Oba is actually the traditional ruler of the Edo community in Benin Kingdom and the original owner of the bronze artefacts), Edo Local State and the Federal Government were all involved in the negotiations.

Jesus College Cambridge later asked Sodepo to perform the same role for the return of the bronze rooster that had been in its dining hall for decades.

His role in both events was in keeping with his initials, which Sodipo says means, ‘to help build a house.’ He goes on to admit that the successes of Aberdeen and Cambridge are just the starting point.

He says, ‘I love it but I know it’s just the beginning. There is still a lot of work to be done. How valuable all those properties are, no one can imagine.’

Benin bronze artifacts were central to the rituals and religious practices of the kingdom’s royal family. Neil Curtis, head of museums at the University of Aberdeen, watched a video in February of the Oba’s bronze head being removed from a box inside Edo State. It took four months for the goods to arrive in Nigeria and obtain the necessary export permits required for their departure.

‘It was fantastic,’ says Curtis. It was an emotional moment to see him back in his home. It was overwhelming to see him placed before the Oba in the royal palace.’

The Kenai tribe, Canada’s First Citizens, has had experience returning items from its collection to the university before, including returning a ceremonial crown in 2003, but this time the difference was that the university had to respond to a claimant’s request. Without taking this step himself.

Curtis strongly emphasized that museums had a moral duty to return looted objects such as the Benin bronze artefacts. He also encouraged other institutions to be proactive and initiate dialogue with affected communities living in other countries.

But the museum honcho believes Aberdeen should not take credit for its own actions. According to him, ‘People say, oh you took the first step (to return Benin bronze artefacts). Yes, but with a delay of 125 years. It’s a very slow pace so I don’t think we should be proud of it.’

But Curtis hopes other museums can learn a lot from the steps his university has taken. ‘I may not be right, but I think we have agreed to a new approach which is a revolutionary step and which other museums can use.’

Although Curtis doesn’t give a specific time frame, he says that returns will become the norm in the near future. ‘Partly it’s going to become a routine activity,’ he tells me. That’s what museums do, returning things they shouldn’t have, working with people to find the best use of their holdings.’

Veronique Motier, a lecturer in human, social and political science at Jesus College Cambridge, shares a similar opinion. She says: ‘Trends are changing. The world is changing. We are looking at our past differently.’

Motier chaired an inquiry on behalf of the Legacy of Slavery Party (LSWP), which was set up by his college in 2019 to explore its links to colonial history. Several years ago, the student body of the college had passed a resolution to return the bronze rooster to Nigeria. One of the top responsibilities of the LSWP was to examine what should be done with antiquities. ‘Once we had the historical data, it was clear,’ says Motier. This decision also received wide support in the circle of teachers.

Although there is no doubt that the object was looted, its possession was not illegal under the apartheid laws applied to the British Army in 1897 because, according to Motier, these laws of war against other Western powers were separate and universal. were different for other countries.

This problem was also easily solved. “Our argument was that what is legal is not always morally right, and that it would be morally indefensible to defend that kind of argument today,” says Motier.

In his speech during the return ceremony on October 27 last year, Motier apologized to the Nigerian delegation for depriving his country of this item for so long.

“We realized that just giving back was not enough,” she says. Confession should also be made and forgiveness is also needed.’ She adds that the occasion was very emotional but the emotions were layered. ‘On the one hand we were excited that the Benin bronze is finally returning to its homeland. We were very proud that Jesus College was the first institution in the world to return the Benin Bronze Medal. There was also a feeling that we might be doing something new.

‘But there was also the painful realization that we had deprived those who deserved it for so long. It was painful to hear our guests talk about how they had lost their ancestral heritage. How important was the moment when he returned to his homeland.’

The head of Nigeria’s National Commission for Museums and Monuments, Aba Tijani, was also present at the Aberdeen and Cambridge events, along with delegates from Edo State and the Oba’s palace.

Both occasions, he says, were ‘full of great joy, excitement and emotional conditions.’

‘These are things that were looted in 1897,’ he tells me. Now Nigeria was taking possession of these antiquities for the first time after 125 years.

Aba Tejani said that many countries have come to understand that it is no longer possible to sit and hold on to looted goods, which he calls ‘the continuation of the colonial chain’.

‘I’m sure it will pave the way for other UK museums to follow suit,’ he says, referring to the decisions of Aberdeen, Cambridge and Horneman.

The head of Nigeria’s National Commission for Museums and Monuments says the museums holding the Benin bronze artefacts will not be vacated if they relinquish ownership of them. We will keep some of these items on loan. Some things will continue to look beautiful in front of them, which means they will not miss anything.’

He cites Germany’s Humboldt Forum in Berlin as an example which has agreed to return hundreds of artefacts to Nigeria. As a sign of mutual cooperation, Lagos will allow the institution to keep some bronze objects on loan.’

Tijani says more contracts will soon be signed with museums in several cities, including Leibniz, Cologne and Stuttgart. According to him, when this happens, many Benin bronzes from various deposits in Germany will be shipped collectively to West Africa.

Where they will be housed in Nigeria is yet to be clearly decided. Sodipo, a Nigerian lawyer who played a key role in the return of the goods from Aberdeen and Cambridge, says the Oba’s palace, Edo State and Lagos should resolve the matter soon.

“We need to build a modern museum to house the Benin bronzes and other cultural properties wrongly taken from Nigeria,” he says.

Tejani tells me that such matters are moving in the right direction. According to him, some of the items will be displayed in the existing Benin City National Museum while others will be destined for a new museum on land owned by the Oba’s palace.

The head of Nigeria’s National Commission for Museums and Monuments says an agreement is yet to be reached for the latter institution, but one idea is to select one of the existing buildings. If progress is made, it will be ready by early next year.

Regardless of their final destination, the difficult task of returning Benin bronze artefacts has progressed at a remarkable pace over the past few years. This raises the question of why conditions are favorable for their return now and not before.

The answer is multifaceted, says Alexander Hermann, director of the Institute of Art and Law (EAL) and an expert on returns.

The author of the book ‘Restitution: The Return of Cultural Artifacts’ believes a ‘profound change’ in museums’ attitudes towards Nazi looted artefacts has played a major role. As a result, organizations are now more concerned about the provenance of goods in general, according to Herman.

Successful campaigns by indigenous groups to reclaim their heritage, he says, have also played a role, as has the tough attitude adopted by law enforcement agencies in dealing with looted artefacts. Just last week, New York’s district attorney ordered that goods worth 16 million pounds be returned to Italy.

Harman added that the global pandemic also played a role. Due to the growing trend of digitization, people’s perception of museums has changed, now they see them as a means of fulfilling ‘purposes other than holding objects’.

Harman says the death of George Floyd and the rise of the ‘Black Lives Matter’ movement were also important reasons because they highlighted Africa and racial injustice. When asked if we should now expect many new product return cases, the IAL director told me, ‘I cannot predict whether there will be many claims in the next few years. . It will be interesting to see what the implications of the Hornemann, Aberdeen and Cambridge decisions are, and whether the scope extends beyond the Benin bronze artefacts, as they have so far been the focus of attention.’

Arguments for the return of Benin bronze artefacts are perhaps clearer than for some other objects in Western deposits. As Herman explains, violent historical events make a return more likely.

‘It’s much more complicated when you’re dealing with past transactions,’ he says. When something was at least ostensibly purchased, exchanged or negotiated between equal heirs. These are the places that have the most complexity.’

Currently, Nigeria and Benin bronze artefacts are the center of attention, but Tijani believes the movement will soon spread. “I think Nigeria is leading at the moment,” he says. We have made progress. I am sure many other countries will join us in this regard.’