NETHERLANDS RETURNS BENIN ARTEFACT TO OBA EWUARE II 129 YEARS AFTER 1897 INVASION

The Netherlands has returned a Benin artefact to the Oba of Benin, Oba Ewuare II, 129 years after British forces invaded the Benin Kingdom and looted historical objects from the royal palace.

The presentation took place at the Oba’s Palace in Benin City, Edo State, on Tuesday, October 20, 2026, as part of activities marking the monarch’s 10th coronation anniversary.

The artefact was presented by Frank Keurnorst, Consul General of the Netherlands, and Beatrice van Bormann, Executive Director of Museum De Fundatie in the Netherlands. The Portuguese Ambassador to Nigeria, Paulo Santos, was also present at the ceremony. 

Chief Lucky Imasue, chairman of the 10th Coronation Anniversary Committee and former Deputy Governor of Edo State, said the Netherlands had begun returning artefacts taken from the Benin Kingdom following the 1897 invasion. He added that more artefacts were expected to be returned.

Imasue described the latest handover as significant because it came 129 years after the invasion and exactly 10 years after Oba Ewuare II’s coronation. He recalled that the artefacts documented the history, royal traditions, and life of the Benin Kingdom before the invasion.

According to him, efforts to recover the objects began under previous Obas but gained momentum during the reign of Oba Ewuare II, whose experience as a former Nigerian ambassador helped advance the campaign.

He also said the Federal Government, through the National Commission for Museums and Monuments (NCMM), recognises the need to return artefacts taken from the Oba’s Palace to their original location.

The 1897 invasion of the Benin Kingdom resulted in the removal of thousands of royal and cultural objects, many of which were subsequently dispersed among museums and private collections in Europe and other parts of the world.

The recovery of these objects has since become part of Nigeria’s efforts to reclaim cultural heritage taken during the colonial period.

In February 2025, the Dutch government announced plans to return Benin Bronzes from its state collection following a request from Nigeria. In June that year, 119 artefacts were returned to Nigeria, marking a major restitution of objects looted during the 1897 invasion.