The University of Cambridge will return looted Benin bronzes to Nigeria. During the attack, the British burned the city’s palace and exiled Benin’s Oba, or king, with thousands of brasses and other works – collectively known as the ‘Benin bronzes’ – taken and later sold off in London to recoup the costs of the military mission. The university supported a formal claim from Nigeria’s National Commission for Museums and Monuments (NCMM) for the return of the items earlier this year. A university spokeswoman said on Wednesday: “The Charity Commission has considered and approved the return of 116 historical objects, often referred to as the Benin bronzes, from the University of Cambridge’s Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology to the National Commission of Museums and Monuments (NCMM) of Nigeria. “The University is now working with the Commission to finalise next steps regarding these Benin bronzes, and we will communicate these in due course.

Source: The Guardian December 15, 2022 16:40 UTC