In a historic milestone for international cultural restitution, the Netherlands government has formally returned a looted Benin royal artefact to the Oba of Benin, Oba Ewuare II, exactly 129 years after it was taken during the British military expedition of 1897.
The formal handover ceremony took place at the Oba’s Palace in Benin City on Tuesday, October 20, 2026, coinciding with the grand celebrations marking the monarch's 10th coronation anniversary.
The return was spearheaded by Dutch cultural institutions as part of a ongoing, voluntary initiative to repatriate colonial-era treasures looted from African kingdoms back to their ancestral home.
The valuable historic piece was presented to Oba Ewuare II by a diplomatic and cultural delegation comprising the Consul General of the Netherlands, Frank Keurnorst, alongside Beatrice van Bormann, Executive Director of Museum De Fundatie in the Netherlands.
Speaking on the diplomatic achievement, Chief Lucky Imasue, Chairman of the Coronation Anniversary Committee and former Deputy Governor of Edo State, revealed that the initiative was voluntarily set in motion by the Dutch government and museum authorities.
Expressing profound gratitude to the Dutch delegation and the government of the Netherlands, Oba Ewuare II reaffirmed that the returning artefacts hold immense spiritual, historical, and cultural significance for the people of the Benin Kingdom.
The monarch noted that the repatriation reflects growing international acknowledgement of sovereign cultural rights. He further highlighted the kingdom's intent to deepen bilateral and cultural diplomatic ties with European nations committed to returning stolen African heritage.
The latest restitution adds significant momentum to Nigeria's global campaign for the unconditional return of thousands of royal bronzes, ivories, and metalworks currently dispersed across western museums and private collections worldwide.