Looted Benin bronzes in Glasgow could finally be returned to Nigeria: Official

*Glasgow Life, which runs the city’s museums, discloses a group could be reformed now to work on the repatriation of the stolen artifacts to the West African country

Isola Moses | ConsumerConnect

As continue talks with organisations in Nigeria over the possible return of the items, authorities of the Glasgow Museum in the United Kingdom (UK), have said they will ask councillors to back a Working Group for Repatriation and Spoliation Thursday, August 19, 2021.

It is believed more than 4,000 artifacts were taken by British soldiers when they raided Benin City in 1897, but previous attempts to have the bronzes returned home have failed, reports Glasgow Live.

It was gathered the ‘Master of the circled cross’ bronze is among those that could be returned to Benin eventually.

Glasgow Gallery of Modern Art in the UK

According to the city’s museum, bronzes looted from the Nigerian city of Benin by British soldiers could be returned to the country from collections in Glasgow.

Of the 4,000 the British forces stole during a 1897 raid on Benin City, with eight bronzes are now kept in Glasgow’s museums, report stated.

The publication noted that an earlier request for the return of the cultural treasures was refused in 1996, but now a group could be reformed to work on the repatriation of artifacts.

David McDonald, Chairman of Glasgow Life, which runs the city’s museums, and deputy leader of the Council, will ask councillors to back a Working Group for Repatriation and Spoliation Thursday.

McDonald also requests permission for Glasgow Life to continue talks with organisations in Nigeria over the possible return of the items to the West African country.

He said: “Throughout Europe, there are increasing claims, and requests for collections information by African-based organisations and African Diaspora communities for the return of African heritage from museums to their countries of origin.

“It is reasonable to anticipate that dialogues with communities from other countries and continents will also arise.

“Glasgow will continue to build on its established approach to restitution, founded on constructive engagement, with the people of Glasgow and the descendent communities or nations making the request, to support each individual situation.”

A group of national cultural institutions in the UK and Europe, known as the Benin Dialogue Group, is working with the Edo State Government, the Royal Court of Benin and the National Commission for Museums and Monuments in Nigeria to find solutions to “decades of wrangling” over the 4,000 bronze and ivory artifacts, report said.

The dialogue group, ConsumerConnect learnt, is focused on larger collections, but supports independent negotiations over smaller collections, and Glasgow Life, Aberdeen University and Bristol Museums are part of a regional group interested in holding talks.

Earlier this year, Aberdeen University was said to have approved the repatriation of a bronze head to Benin while the Ethnological Museum Berlin July 2021 committed to returning artifacts from its collection.

In 1996, Glasgow refused a request by the late Bernie Grant MP for return of its Benin bronzes.

According to the Council’s report, besides the bronzes, the city has another 21 artifacts, which include “objects typically placed on the ancestral altars of the Obas of Benin.

“All these objects could be considered for discussion with regard to potential repatriation, should the Benin Royal Family so wish.”

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