University of Cambridge returns 116 Benin Bronzes to Nigeria

The return of 116 Benin Bronzes by the University of Cambridge marks a defining moment in Nigeria’s ongoing effort to reclaim its cultural inheritance and correct the historical violence that stripped it away. More than a century after British forces looted Benin City during the 1897 invasion, legal ownership of these treasured artefacts has now been transferred to Nigeria’s National Commission for Museums and Monuments, working under a management agreement with the Benin Royal Palace.

The collection, housed for decades in Cambridge’s Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, includes works primarily cast in brass, alongside ivory and wooden sculptures. These objects were seized in February 1897 during the so-called “Punitive Expedition,” an assault triggered by a trade dispute but carried out with devastating force against the Benin Kingdom. For Nigeria, the return represents not just the recovery of artworks, but the restoration of history, memory, and meaning.

The decision followed a formal request submitted by the National Commission for Museums and Monuments in January 2022. That claim received backing from the University’s Council and was later authorised by the UK Charity Commission, clearing the legal pathway for restitution. While most of the artefacts will be physically transferred to Nigeria in due course, 17 pieces will remain on display in Cambridge on a three-year loan arrangement, ensuring continued academic access while affirming Nigeria’s rightful ownership.

Behind the announcement lies more than a decade of sustained engagement between Cambridge and Nigerian stakeholders. Since 2017, the university has hosted and participated in dialogue involving the Benin Royal Court, Nigerian scholars, artists, students, and cultural leaders. Curators from the museum have made repeated study visits to Benin City since 2018, meeting with the Oba, members of the royal court, and state and federal officials. Representatives of the Commission and the Royal Palace were also received in Cambridge in 2021, reinforcing a relationship built on consultation.

Professor Nicholas Thomas, Director of the Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, described the return as the culmination of years of dialogue and growing international consensus that artefacts taken through colonial violence must be repatriated. According to him, the move has been widely supported within the university community and reflects a broader shift in how institutions confront their colonial legacies.

For Nigeria, however, the significance runs deeper. Olugbile Holloway, Director-General of the National Commission for Museums and Monuments, described the development as a turning point, expressing hope that it will encourage other museums across Europe and North America to follow suit. He emphasised that restitution is not merely about objects changing hands, but about restoring the pride and dignity that were diminished when these works were taken. He also acknowledged the role of Nigeria’s Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa, whose support helped bring the process to fruition.

As museums around the world face renewed scrutiny over contested collections, the return of the Benin Bronzes from Cambridge stands as affirmation of Nigeria’s cultural sovereignty. These works were never relics of a lost past; they are living expressions of a civilisation that endured conquest and displacement. Their journey home is a reminder that history can be confronted, and that justice, though delayed, can still be claimed.