Why the Netherlands Returned 119 Looted Benin Artifacts to Nigeria

In a historic act of cultural restitution, the Netherlands has returned 119 artifacts looted from Nigeria, including bronze plaques, animal and human figures, royal regalia, and ceremonial bells—most of them taken from the ancient Kingdom of Benin during the 1897 British invasion.

The decision to return the treasured items was driven by growing global recognition of the injustices of colonial-era looting and the ethical imperative to correct historical wrongs. According to the Dutch authorities, the repatriation reflects a conscious commitment to justice, historical accountability, and respect for the cultural heritage of nations once plundered during imperial rule.

Marieke Van Bommel, director of the Wereld Museum, emphasized that the Dutch government is firm in its stance to return cultural artifacts that rightfully belong to other nations. “These items do not belong to us. Returning them is the right thing to do,” she said during the handover ceremony.

This act of restitution follows a broader international shift, where museums and governments across Europe and North America are increasingly acknowledging that many of the prized exhibits in their collections were acquired through violent means during colonization. Responding to persistent calls from Nigeria’s National Commission for Museums and Monuments (NCMM), the Netherlands agreed to return the artifacts—making this the largest single repatriation to Nigeria to date.

At the ceremony held in Edo State, Oba Ewuare II, the Benin monarch, described the return as nothing short of a “divine intervention,” underscoring the spiritual and cultural importance of the artifacts to the Benin people. He praised the long campaign by Nigerian authorities and cultural advocates to bring the looted pieces back home.

Olugbile Holloway, Director-General of the NCMM, noted that the commission remains resolute in its mission to retrieve more cultural treasures scattered across the globe. “This return is significant not only in number but in meaning—it reaffirms our cultural identity and acknowledges a painful past that cannot be erased but must be addressed,” he said.

The return of the Benin Bronzes is not just an exchange of objects—it is a symbolic step towards healing, justice, and the restoration of cultural dignity to a people whose heritage was once violently displaced.