Germany has entered into historic discussions with Nigerian officials about the eventual return of the Benin Bronzes the European country has had in its possession since they were looted from the West African country by British troops in 1897. 

The head of the German foreign ministry's culture department, Andreas Görgen, visited Nigeria last week for discussions with the Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki. The meeting took place in Benin City where the historic array of bronze reliefs, carved ivory, and other sculptures originated before they were carried away to Europe in the invasion of 1897 which saw the British troops razing the royal Benin palace in a punitive expedition. 

Although the single largest collection of Benin bronzes is held by the British Museum, pieces of these African artworks are currently spread out across museums in Europe and North America, with more than 500 historical objects including 440 bronzes from the Kingdom of Benin held at the Ethnological Museum in Berlin, the German capital. Half of this German collection is scheduled to go on display this autumn at the Humboldt Forum, a newly opened museum of non-European art in the center of Berlin.  

However, Hartmut Dorgerloh, the director of the Humboldt Forum, in a statement released to German media on Monday, disclosed that the complex could instead exhibit only replicas of the bronzes or leave symbolic empty spaces and that the sculptures and reliefs could be returned to Nigeria as soon as the autumn. 

Subsequent to the meeting last week, Germany has now said it will return its share of these treasured sculptures and artifacts to Nigeria for display at the Edo Museum of West African Art which is being designed by the Ghanaian-British architect David Adjaye and situated at the former palace site in Benin City to incorporate some of the ruins.

Under the terms of the agreement as reported by the Art Newspaper, Germany would take part in archaeological excavations in the region, provide training for Nigerian museum employees, participate in the construction of a new museum in Benin, and restitute the looted Benin bronzes held in Berlin to the Restoration Legacy Trust, an NGO set up in 2019.

Full ownership of the museum objects is expected to be transferred to Nigerian officials and in a press statement after the meeting last week, Governor Obaseki said that his government is preparing to launch an independent trust made up of “the Royal Family, Edo State Government, the Federal Government, and international stakeholders,” to receive the objects.

Furthermore, in his press statement confirming the development last week, Governor Obaseki hinted at some form of international co-operation was in consideration. “Culture is a living thing,” he said. “Yes, the objects are from Benin but today they are global. So, the idea of having a universal display is something that we cannot run away from.”

Reacting to this development, Nigerian artist Victor Ehikhamenor, who is also a trustee of the Legacy Restoration Trust, said “This would be a hugely significant shift. If Germany follows through with these plans, then any European country that holds on to Benin bronzes no longer has a moral ground to stand on.

“The time has come for the British Museum to finally join in this debate. The current situation is a bit like a thief has stolen your watch and sold it to a pawn shop, but the pawnshop is refusing to hand it over to the police. It makes no sense.”

Though a detailed agreement has not been confirmed, the news marks an important milestone for the growing campaign across Europe for museums to restitute colonial objects from their collections. Today, online art marketplaces like Aworanka now exist for the legal and equitable sale and purchase of African art with the art creators and owners fully represented and fairly compensated. Therefore, purchasing contemporary African art and art by artists of African descent is as easy as clicking a button.