A ruling over ownership of the Benin bronzes may delay their return
Should Nigeria’s art treasures belong to the nation or the royal Oba?
THE SACKING of Benin City by a heavily armed expeditionary force in February 1897 was said to be an act of revenge in a bitter trade dispute between Britain and the Kingdom of Benin, east of Lagos. Over the course of a fortnight, the city was burned to the ground. Its royal ruler, the Oba, was eventually imprisoned and the magnificent collection of plaques and statues made from brass, wood and ivory was ripped from the walls of his palace and sold to museums and private collectors in Britain, Europe and America.
This article appeared in the Middle East & Africa section of the print edition under the headline “Oba v Obaseki”
From the May 13th 2023 edition
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