Cambridge University has transferred legal ownership of 116 Benin artefacts to Nigeria, marking a major step in efforts to address the colonial era loss of cultural heritage.
The artefacts, housed at the university’s Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, are now legally owned by Nigeria’s National Commission for Museums and Monuments, NCMM.
The decision was announced Monday after a formal request by the NCMM in January 2022 for the return of objects taken during the 1897 sacking of Benin City. Cambridge’s Governing Council approved the request, with final authorization granted by the UK Charity Commission.
The items include brass castings, ivory pieces and wooden sculptures seized by British troops during the 1897 expedition to Benin.
Cambridge said arrangements for the physical return of most of the objects will be made later. A small number will remain on loan in Cambridge, where they will continue to be displayed and studied.
The university said the move reflects years of research and dialogue with Nigerian stakeholders, including the Benin Royal Court, artists and academics. Museum officials have visited Benin City several times since 2018 and hosted Nigerian delegations in Cambridge.
NCMM Director General Olugbile Holloway described the transfer as a turning point. He said the return restores pride and dignity lost when the artefacts were taken and expressed hope that other museums would follow Cambridge’s example.
Professor Nicholas Thomas, director of the museum, said growing international support for repatriation has helped drive the decision. He described the process as the result of nearly a decade of collaboration with Nigerian partners.
The NCMM oversees dozens of museums and national monuments across Nigeria, while Cambridge’s Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology is one of the university’s oldest museums, with collections covering global cultural history.
