Switzerland Returns 18 Benin Bronzes to Nigeria

On Monday, Switzerland returned 18 Benin Bronzes to Nigeria in a ceremony held at the National Museum in Lagos. This return is part of a growing trend among countries to repatriate artifacts taken during colonial times.

The Benin Bronzes, which include sculptures and plaques, were looted during the British attack on Benin City in 1897 and have since been scattered across various museums and private collections worldwide. The ceremony featured Hannatu Musa Musawa, Nigeria's Minister of Culture, who received the bronzes, including a bronze bracelet and four Ikom monoliths from the Niger Delta region.

The artifacts were seized in Switzerland as part of criminal proceedings and were transferred to Nigeria by the Federal Department of Home Affairs. Elisabeth Baum Schneider, a Swiss Federal Councillor, emphasized the importance of returning these items to their place of origin, acknowledging the violent history surrounding their acquisition.

Alic Hertzog, director of the Ethnographic Museum University of Zurich, noted the significance of preserving cultural heritage.