THE Federal Government says the repatriation of the 1,130 looted Benin bronzes from Germany to Nigeria is on track.
Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, disclosed this today when he received a German delegation who came to follow up on the repatriation of the artefacts.
The delegation led by the Director-General for Culture and Communication of the German Federal Foreign Office, Dr. Andreas Gorgen, was accompanied to the minister’s office by the German Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Birgitt Ory.
He said: “I am glad that you have come and this has reinforced the fact that we are on track.
“Your visit has buttressed the intention of the two parties towards working out the return of the artefacts.
“I want to reiterate here that the return of the artefacts will not be the end of an era but rather the beginning of further cooperation between the two countries.”
Mohammed expressed satisfaction with the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) earlier signed between the delegation and the National Commission for Museums and Monuments (NCMM).
He said the MoU, which was about confidence-building between the parties, had underscored the fact that no one was reneging on the agreement reached on the return of the cultural objects.
He added that the MoU also showed that everybody was being carried along to ensure successful completion of the transfer of the artefacts.
The minister added: “I know the burden back home in Germany as your people will be asking, why are they returning the artefacts to Nigeria given the fact they did not steal them.
“They will be saying, they did not loot them and did not colonise Nigeria but got the artefacts through normal purchases and transactions.
“Though, they are right, but the German Government and people have made a very bold statement by agreeing to voluntarily, without coercion from Nigeria, return the artefacts.
“The return of the artefacts will further cement the relationship between Nigeria and Germany.
“This is because culture today has become one of the most effective tools of soft diplomacy.”
He said Germany was the first country to return in large numbers, artefacts looted from Nigeria and the gesture would endear Nigerians and in particular, the people of Edo state to Germans.
Earlier, the Director-General of NCMM, Prof. Isa Tijani, said the German delegation arrived in the country on Monday.
He said the MoU would enable the delegation to effectively engage with the various institutions, museums and trustees when they return to their country.
In his address, Gorgen said the repatriation of the bronzes would strengthen cultural relations between Nigeria and his country.
