When Edo State Governor Senator Monday Okpebholo declared that the returned Benin Bronzes belong to the Oba of Benin’s Palace and should never be politicised, he did far more than welcome an international delegation to Government House in Benin City. His remarks touched on history, justice, identity and the continuing effort to restore one of Africa’s greatest cultural treasures to its rightful home.
Receiving officials from the National Commission for Museums and Monuments (NCMM), representatives of the Swiss Government and museum experts from the University of Zurich, Governor Okpebholo described the return of the artefacts as “a defining history in our land.”
He said: “First of all, let me thank you for this moment because this is a defining history in our land. To me, there is no point in playing politics with what belongs to the palace.”
Those few words captured an issue that has generated debate for years. They recognised that the Benin Bronzes are not simply valuable works of art but symbols of the history, culture and spiritual life of the Benin Kingdom.
The governor went further by explaining why the artefacts mean so much to the Edo people.
“We have culture here. I believe in our culture. Those bronzes are not just bronze; they are symbolic and spiritual to our kingdom. Wherever they are, they will all find their way back to Nigeria, to Edo State,” he said.
His statement came after Nigeria received 18 Benin Bronzes and five other priceless cultural objects returned by Switzerland. These treasures were among thousands of artefacts looted during the British invasion of the Benin Kingdom in 1897, when the royal palace was attacked and its treasures taken to Europe.
For more than 125 years, many of these objects remained scattered across museums and private collections around the world. Their return represents an acknowledgement that they were acquired through colonial violence and belong to the people from whom they were taken.
Although the latest restitution involves only a fraction of the thousands of Benin artefacts still outside Nigeria, every successful return strengthens the international campaign for historical justice.
Governor Okpebholo made it clear that questions about ownership should not divide stakeholders.
“There is no point playing politics with them. They all belong to the Oba’s Palace. We have only one Oba Palace in Edo State,” he said.
That position is significant because discussions over the custody of returned Benin artefacts have often created unnecessary disagreements between government institutions and cultural authorities. By recognising the Oba’s Palace as the rightful custodian, the governor reaffirmed the traditional institution’s central role in preserving the heritage of the Benin Kingdom while positioning government as a partner in protecting that heritage.
The governor also reflected on why the artefacts were taken in the first place.
“The British that came here came for a reason. They heard something about the Benin Empire. That is why they came here. They found these things very interesting and took them out of this country to theirs,” he said.
His observation highlights an important historical reality. The Benin Kingdom was already internationally renowned for its sophisticated bronze casting, governance, commerce and artistic excellence long before colonial conquest. The famous plaques, royal heads and ceremonial objects demonstrated extraordinary craftsmanship that attracted worldwide attention.
The governor therefore welcomed Switzerland’s decision to return the artefacts. “I am happy that the Swiss Government has decided to say, ‘Yes, let’s return these back to the owners.’ I want to thank your government for taking this initiative in bringing these bronzes back to our palace,” he said.
He added that the decision would bring lasting goodwill.”It might look small to you, but the blessings ahead are huge.”
The visit also underlined the growing international cooperation behind the restitution movement.
Director-General of the NCMM, Olugbile Holloway, described Benin as “ground zero” in the global campaign for the return of looted African cultural heritage.
“The National Commission for Museums and Monuments is at the forefront of the battle for restitution,” Holloway said.
He explained that the commission is working closely with the Oba of Benin to ensure that many more artefacts currently held in foreign museums eventually return home.
“We are working with the palace and His Royal Majesty to ensure that as many of these bronzes that found their way into foreign museums begin to come home,” he said.
Holloway also disclosed that all the artefacts returned by Switzerland had already arrived in Nigeria and that the delegation would proceed to the Oba’s Palace to symbolically present them to His Royal Majesty for traditional blessings before they are formally integrated into the kingdom’s cultural heritage.
That ceremony reinforces what many Edo people have always maintained—that the Benin Bronzes are living cultural objects with spiritual and historical importance, not merely museum exhibits.
Speaking on behalf of Switzerland, Consul General Conny Camenzind described the restitution as an important milestone in relations between Switzerland and Nigeria.
She said her country was proud to have worked with the NCMM and the participating museums to facilitate the return of the artefacts and expressed hope that the exercise would mark the beginning of a stronger long-term partnership between both countries.
Her comments reflect a growing international recognition that museums and governments have a moral responsibility to address the legacy of colonial-era looting.
Across Europe and North America, attitudes towards the Benin Bronzes continue to change. The Netherlands has agreed to return more than 100 Benin artefacts. Museums in the United States, Germany and the University of Cambridge have also transferred ownership or returned important collections to Nigeria. Switzerland’s latest restitution adds further momentum to this global movement.
The British Museum, however, still retains one of the world’s largest collections of Benin objects and continues to maintain that legal restrictions prevent their permanent return. For many Nigerians, that remains one of the biggest unresolved issues in the quest for justice.
Every successful restitution therefore carries importance beyond the number of objects involved. Each return strengthens Nigeria’s case, encourages other museums to review the origins of their collections and demonstrates that historical wrongs can be addressed through cooperation.
The campaign is also part of a wider African movement calling for the return of cultural treasures removed during colonial rule. The Benin Bronzes have become perhaps the most recognised symbol of that struggle because they embody artistic excellence, national pride and historical justice.
Governor Okpebholo’s remarks deserve attention for another reason. Rather than allowing politics to dominate the conversation, he chose to emphasise culture, history and respect for traditional authority. In doing so, he reminded Nigerians and the international community that the Benin Bronzes are far more than ancient sculptures.
They tell the story of kings, craftsmen, warriors and generations of Edo people whose civilisation flourished long before colonial rule. Their return restores not only valuable works of art but also an important part of the identity and dignity of the Benin Kingdom.
As more museums across the world reconsider the origins of their collections, Governor Okpebholo’s message is likely to resonate even more strongly: the Benin Bronzes are not simply historical objects. They are symbols of a proud civilisation, whose rightful home remains the Oba of Benin’s Palace.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Ebojele, PhD in public administration, is the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Monday Okpebholo of Edo State.
