- Cambridge University has transferred legal ownership of 116 Benin artefacts to Nigeria’s National Commission for Museums and Monuments
- The items were taken during the 1897 British expedition in Benin City and include brass, ivory, and wooden works
- Nigerian and Cambridge officials described the move as historic and a step toward restoring cultural dignity
The University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom has formally handed over legal ownership of 116 Benin artefacts held at its Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology (MAA) to Nigeria’s National Commission for Museums and Monuments (NCMM)
In a statement released on Monday, February 9, the university described the action as a significant step in confronting the legacy of colonial-era acquisition of cultural objects.
The move followed a formal repatriation request submitted by the NCMM in January 2022 for items taken by British troops during the 1897 attack on Benin City. Cambridge’s Governing Council backed the claim, after which approval was granted by the UK Charity Commission.
Most of the artefacts, largely brass castings alongside ivory and wooden sculptures, were seized during the so-called “Punitive Expedition” launched by British forces in February 1897 after a violent trade dispute the previous month.
Cambridge said plans for transporting most of the objects to Nigeria would be arranged later, although a small number would stay in Cambridge on loan and continue to be displayed at MAA for visitors, students, and researchers.
According to the university, the transfer reflects wider efforts by museums in the UK, the United States, and across Europe to return Benin works acquired during the colonial period.
MAA is among several British institutions that hold Benin artefacts and has for years engaged in research and discussions with Nigerian partners, including members of the Benin Royal Court, artists, academics, and students. Since 2018, its curators have made study visits to Benin City, meeting the Oba, Royal Court officials, and state and federal authorities.
The university has also hosted the Benin Dialogue Group and welcomed delegations from the NCMM and the Royal Court to Cambridge.
Reacting to the announcement, NCMM Director-General Olugbile Holloway said the decision represented a major milestone.
“This development marks a pivotal point in our dialogue with the Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology at the University of Cambridge, and it is our hope that this will spur other museums to head in a similar direction.
“The return of cultural items for us is not just the return of the physical object, but also the restoration of the pride and dignity that was lost when these objects were taken in the first place,” he said.
Holloway also praised Nigeria’s Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa, and commended Cambridge for what he described as a positive move.
“We look forward to welcoming the artefacts back home soon,” he said.
The MAA Director, Professor Nicholas Thomas, said the decision was the result of years of dialogue and growing international agreement on repatriation.
“It has been immensely rewarding to engage in dialogue with colleagues from the National Commission of Museums and Monuments, members of the Royal Court, and Nigerian scholars, students, and artists over the last ten years.
“Over the period, support has mounted nationally and internationally for the repatriation of artefacts that were appropriated in the context of colonial violence.
“This return has been keenly supported across the university community,” he said.
The News Agency of Nigeria noted that the NCMM, which operates under the Federal Ministry of Art, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy, manages 53 museums, 65 national monuments, and two World Heritage Sites nationwide.
Founded in 1884, the Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology is one of Cambridge University’s oldest museums, housing collections that span global cultural history, archaeology, and contemporary Indigenous art.