Netherlands has become the latest European country to return artefacts to Africa after it signed an agreement pledging to return 119 'stolen' historical artefacts to Nigeria after extensive consultation with its Colonial collections committee.
The Netherlands has signed a deal with Nigeria pledging to return at least 119 bronze artefacts looted from Nigeria in the 19th Century.
The collection includes 113 bronzes that are part of the Dutch State Collection while the remainder will be returned by the Municipality of Rotterdam.
They were part of thousands of bronzes stolen from the then Benin Kingdom, which is present-day Edo state in Southwestern, Nigeria when it was attacked by British forces in 1897.
According to a statement released by Wereldmuseum Leiden where some of the pieces are on display, these objects were stolen from the Kingdom of Benin by British soldiers in 1897 and eventually ended up in the Dutch National Collection through trade.
Present at the signing were the Nigerian Director General of National Commission for Museums and Monuments Olugbile Holloway and the Dutch Minister for Education, Culture and Science, Eppo Bruins.
Bruins reacting at the signing said Heritage is essential for telling and experiencing the history of a country and community. The Benin Bronzes are therefore indispensable for Nigeria, it is good that they are going back.” while Olugbile Holloway was quoted as saying this would represent the single largest return of the ancient antiquities.
The return of ancient artefacts to Nigeria began in 2022, with Germany returning over 20 bronzes in a bid to deal with its “dark colonial history”.
This move may pressure other institutions to return the artefacts especially the British Museum which houses over 900 pieces of benin bronze.
The public health challenge linked to the emergence of a rare strain of hantavirus is complex, according to pharmacist and health commentator ...
U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday dismissed Iran’s response to a U.S. peace proposal as a “stupid proposal,” say...
After years of limited engagement, relations between Syria and the European Union are drawing renewed diplomatic a...
The man accused of attempting to assassinate U.S. President Donald Trump during a Wh...
Australia confirmed it will repatriate citizens from the MV Hondius cruise ship hit by a deadly hantavirus outbreak, with quarantine on arrival. Sp...
Argentinian authorities are reconstructing the journeys of Dutch citizens who presented with symptoms of deadly hantavirus after visiting Argentina and Chile as part of a luxury cruise trip, the country's Health Ministry said in a statement on Wednesday (6 May)
Belgium and the Netherlands adopted parliamentary resolutions on 16 April urging the release of Armenians held in Azerbaijan and calling for conditions to enable the return of displaced Armenians from Garabagh, prompting a sharp diplomatic response from Baku.
The 2,500-year-old Golden Helmet of Coțofenești and two ancient gold bracelets have been returned to Romanian authorities after being stolen from a Dutch museum in January last year.
An explosion lightly damaged a Jewish school in Amsterdam early on Saturday (14 March) in what the city’s mayor described as “a deliberate attack against the Jewish community.”
Australia confirmed it will repatriate citizens from the MV Hondius cruise ship hit by a deadly hantavirus outbreak, with quarantine on arrival. Spain, France are evacuating nationals as three deaths are confirmed. In the U.S., two passengers have been isolated after testing positive for the virus.
U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday dismissed Iran’s response to a U.S. peace proposal as a “stupid proposal,” saying Tehran failed to commit to abandoning its pursuit of a nuclear weapon, while warning the fragile ceasefire was on “massive life support”.
President Donald Trump called Iran’s response to a US war proposal “totally unacceptable” after Tehran sent its reply through mediator Pakistan, according to IRNA. Qatar’s al-Thani also warned Iran against using the Strait of Hormuz as “a pressure tool”.
Metropolitan Shio of Senaki and Chkhorotsku has been elected the 142nd head of the Georgian Orthodox Church at a meeting of clergy in Tbilisi following the death of longtime Patriarch Ilia II.
A Turkish Airlines plane caught fire in its landing gear tyres after landing at Tribhuvan International Airport on Monday (11 May) morning, temporarily disrupting airport operations, officials said.
Netflix drama 'Adolescence' was the standout winner at the Bafta Television Awards in London on Sunday (10 May), breaking records with four wins and dominating the night alongside 'The Celebrity Traitors' and 'Last One Laughing', which each took home two prizes.
Ye will perform in Tbilisi on 12 June as part of a Georgian government-funded programme, despite being barred from entering the U.K. and facing mounting concert cancellations across Europe.
The Formula 1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix 2026 will mark its 10th anniversary with a major entertainment programme in Baku, headlined by global pop star Katy Perry.
The 61st Venice Biennale has opened under grey skies and political tension, with disputes over Russia and Israel, resignations on the jury, and protests marking the start of one of the art world’s most high-profile events.
The steps of the Metropolitan Museum of Art were transformed once again into the world's most prestigious runway for the 2026 Met Gala. This year’s theme, 'Costume Art,' invited guests to explore the intersection of nature, history, and the surreal under the official dress code 'Fashion Is Art'.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment