The oba of Benin, Oba Ewuare II, has on Wednesda said that Cambridge University in the United Kingdom is set has to return Benin artefacts in its custody.
The Oba said this during a courtesy visit at his palace by the Chairman, DAAR Communications, Raymond Dokpesi, in celebration of his birthday and fifth coronation anniversary as the Oba of Benin.
According to the Oba, the Benin artefacts were looted from the palace as far back as 1897, when the British invaded the Benin Kingdom.
Oba Ewuare II, said over thousands of artefacts were looted from the Benin Kingdom and the ownership of the artefacts can’t be disputed.
He commended some countries that have shown willingness to return some of the artefacts that scattered across the globe.
The oba also stated that there have been insinuations that not all the artefacts are from Benin. He however dispelled such rumors.
“We hear that some researchers in Germany have said that some of them were produced here, some were produced there and so on and so forth. Where are these here and there? Were they outside the Benin Empire, where they outside the Benin Kingdom, were any of the artefacts produced outside the Benin Kingdom?.
“If they were all produced in the Benin kingdom, why would any researcher try to say some were taken out of Benin Palace and some were taken from elsewhere?. All elsewhere or wherever they are talking about are they not all under the authority of the Oba of Benin? Are they not all under the Benin Empire?”, he said.
He commended the efforts of the Federal Government and the National Commission for Museums and Monuments (NCMM) toward the repatriation of the artefacts back to Benin.
He also assured that once the artefacts are repatriated to Benin they will be housed in a planned museum, which he propose to build opposite the palace so that everyone will have access to it.
“Everyone will be able to have access to the artefacts at the museum to be built outside the palace”, he said.
The Oba also commended Mr Dokpesi for his support and contribution towards repatriating the artefacts back home.
“The God’s are behind you in all your efforts to ensure that all the artefacts that were taken away from here are bright back and restored,” he said.
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