The Horniman Museum in London has formally started the process of returning 72 Benin bronzes to Nigeria. Following agreements between the federal government and UK authorities to restore plundered Benin antiques to Nigeria.
Six of the 72 bronze items kept by the museum were returned during the initial phase. The bronzes, which the Horniman Museum has chosen to give to the Nigerian government, were shown to have been stolen from Benin City in 1897.
The remaining will be permitted to remain in Britain on loan for the time being, with the second round of physical repatriations to follow, according to a deal announced by the FG and the Horniman Museum.
Later, Professor Tijani disclosed that there were currently 5,000 Benin artifacts “scattered” over the globe.