Over 125 years after the British invasion of Benin and the subsequent looting of artifacts from the palace, two bronzes repatriated from Cambridge and Aberdeen in the United Kingdom are scheduled to be handed over to the Oba of Benin, Omo N’Oba Ewuare 11 on Saturday February 19.
A statement by the secretary to Benin Traditional Council, Mr. Frank Irabor noted that the physical handing over of the two artifacts by the Nigeria High Commissioner to Britain is based on the directive of President Muhammadu Buhari to the Oba of Benin.
The scribe disclosed that the two bronzes of a cockerel (okpa in Benin) and the bust of an Oba (Uhunilao) are from Jesus College, Cambridge and Aberdeen in Scotland respectively.
The statement invites the general public to the ceremony of the physical handing over of the artifacts to the Oba of Benin by the federal government.
