The Museum of Fine Arts (MFA) in Boston has returned two historic artifacts looted from the Benin Kingdom in 1897 to the Oba of Benin, Omo N’Oba Ewuare II.
The artifacts were handed over during a ceremony at Nigeria House in New York City, attended by key figures from the Nigerian diplomatic corps and MFA leadership.
Terracotta and Iron Commemorative Head artifact dated back to the 16th or 17th century and was traced to the London art market in 1899.
16th-Century Bronze Relief Plaque depicts two officials with raised swords and was directly sold by the Crown Agent of the Niger Coast Protectorate in 1898.
MFA Director Matthew Teitelbaum noted that the handover marks the end of a painful chapter tied to colonial exploitation.
Teitelbaum expressed gratification in returning the artifacts to their rightful home, stating that the objects have traveled across continents for over a century.
The National Commission for Museums and Monuments will oversee the transfer of the artifacts to Nigeria and their subsequent delivery to the Oba of Benin.
Three more Benin artifacts remain at the museum, but their provenance is still under review due to unclear historical records.
