Germany To Build Pavilion For Storage Of Returned Benin Artifacts

Germany has assured the federal government of its readiness to
build a pavilion which will be the centre for the returned Benin
objects to enable their storage as well as be a public centre where
the returned artifacts will be displayed.

The Director-General for Culture and Communication of German
Foreign Affairs, Mr Andreas Gorgen, who led the visiting German
delegation made the disclosure yesterday during a meeting between
them and the federal government delegation to work out the
modalities for the repatriation of the Benin antiquities.

This facility will be built as part of the National Museum
complex in Benin, which ultimately will be part of the cultural
hub, which European partners and the National Commission for
Museums and Monuments (NCMM), the Edo State government and the
Royal Palace of Benin, through the Legacy Restoration Trust are
constructing.

Gorgen, who noted that Nigeria has one of the most developed
museums in Africa, underlined the importance of Benin City and the
country to the cultural heritage of humanity.

He acknowledged the significant efforts of the Nigerian
government in addition to the leadership role of the Edo State
Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki in the request for the repatriation of
Nigerian artifacts.

“We did not forget that Nigeria has developed through the 1970s
and we are here to testify the willingness of the federal ministers
concerning the Edo objects. We testify our willingness to restitute
the objects, the restitution that will produce their return. The
time has come to renovate the museums and we will join forces
together with the Nigerian government to co-build centre for the
return of archeological artifacts were repatriated artifacts would
be kept. The second step is to look at archeology. If we dig deep
into the past, we would see that our diversity is our energy,”
Gorgen said.

On his part, the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai
Mohammed lauded the role played by Nigeria’s Ambassador to Germany,
Yusuf Tuggar, who in 2019, wrote to the German Chancellor
requesting for the return of Nigerian antiquities in Germany.

He said before the intervention, Nigeria, through the NCMM had
initiated discussions with several European museums, the Royal
Palace of Benin and the Edo State Government on the return of Benin
Bronzes looted from the Oba of Benin’s palace in 1897.

He expressed optimism that after the follow-up visit by an
enlarged German delegation, the pace of the much-expected return of
Nigerian antiquities from Germany would be quickened

Germany has assured the federal government of its readiness to
build a pavilion which will be the centre for the returned Benin
objects to enable their storage as well as be a public centre where
the returned artifacts will be displayed.

The Director-General for Culture and Communication of German
Foreign Affairs, Mr Andreas Gorgen, who led the visiting German
delegation made the disclosure yesterday during a meeting between
them and the federal government delegation to work out the
modalities for the repatriation of the Benin antiquities.

This facility will be built as part of the National Museum
complex in Benin, which ultimately will be part of the cultural
hub, which European partners and the National Commission for
Museums and Monuments (NCMM), the Edo State government and the
Royal Palace of Benin, through the Legacy Restoration Trust are
constructing.

Gorgen, who noted that Nigeria has one of the most developed
museums in Africa, underlined the importance of Benin City and the
country to the cultural heritage of humanity.

He acknowledged the significant efforts of the Nigerian
government in addition to the leadership role of the Edo State
Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki in the request for the repatriation of
Nigerian artifacts.

“We did not forget that Nigeria has developed through the 1970s
and we are here to testify the willingness of the federal ministers
concerning the Edo objects. We testify our willingness to restitute
the objects, the restitution that will produce their return. The
time has come to renovate the museums and we will join forces
together with the Nigerian government to co-build centre for the
return of archeological artifacts were repatriated artifacts would
be kept. The second step is to look at archeology. If we dig deep
into the past, we would see that our diversity is our energy,”
Gorgen said.

On his part, the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai
Mohammed lauded the role played by Nigeria’s Ambassador to Germany,
Yusuf Tuggar, who in 2019, wrote to the German Chancellor
requesting for the return of Nigerian antiquities in Germany.

He said before the intervention, Nigeria, through the NCMM had
initiated discussions with several European museums, the Royal
Palace of Benin and the Edo State Government on the return of Benin
Bronzes looted from the Oba of Benin’s palace in 1897.

He expressed optimism that after the follow-up visit by an
enlarged German delegation, the pace of the much-expected return of
Nigerian antiquities from Germany would be quickened