Cambridge University Hands Over 116 Benin Artefacts to Nigeria

Cambridge University in the United Kingdom has transferred 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).

The university said the decision represents a significant step in confronting the legacy of colonial-era appropriation of cultural property. The announcement was made on Monday, following a formal repatriation request submitted by the NCMM in January 2022 for items taken during the 1897 British invasion of Benin City.

Cambridge’s Governing Council endorsed Nigeria’s claim, after which approval was granted by the UK Charity Commission, clearing the way for the handover.

The artefacts—predominantly brass works, alongside ivory and wooden pieces—were removed during the British military expedition of February 1897, often referred to as the “Punitive Expedition,” which followed a violent trade conflict the previous month.

While arrangements are being finalised for the physical return of most of the objects to Nigeria, the university noted that a small number will remain in Cambridge on loan and continue to be displayed at the MAA for public access, teaching and research.

Cambridge explained that the transfer is consistent with broader international moves by museums in the UK, Europe and the United States to return Benin artefacts acquired during the colonial period.

The MAA is among several British institutions holding Benin works and has, in recent years, engaged extensively with Nigerian partners, including the Benin Royal Court, artists, scholars and students. Since 2018, MAA curators have made research and consultation visits to Benin City, meeting with the Oba, members of the Royal Court, and state and federal officials.

The university has also played host to the Benin Dialogue Group and welcomed delegations from the NCMM and the Royal Court to Cambridge in recent years as part of ongoing engagement.

Reacting to the development, NCMM Director-General, Olugbile Holloway, described the transfer as a landmark moment in Nigeria’s restitution efforts.

“This marks a major turning point in our engagement with the Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology at the University of Cambridge, and we hope it will encourage other institutions to take similar steps,” Holloway said.

He added that the return of the artefacts goes beyond their physical recovery. “For us, it is also about restoring the dignity and pride that were lost when these objects were taken,” he said.

Holloway also expressed appreciation to the Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa, for her support, and commended Cambridge University for what he described as a positive and responsible decision.

“We look forward to receiving the artefacts back in Nigeria in the near future,” he said.

The Director of the MAA, Professor Nicholas Thomas, said the return was the outcome of years of sustained dialogue and reflected a growing global consensus on restitution.

He noted that engagement over the past decade with the NCMM, the Benin Royal Court, and Nigerian academics, students and artists had been deeply rewarding, adding that support for repatriating objects taken during episodes of colonial violence has continued to grow both within Cambridge and internationally.

The NCMM, an agency under Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Art, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy, manages 53 museums, 65 national monuments and two World Heritage Sites nationwide.

Established in 1884, the Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology is one of Cambridge University’s oldest museums, housing collections that span world archaeology, cultural history and contemporary Indigenous art.