Horniman Museum to return 72 artefacts to Nigeria

The Benin plaque of Chief Uwangue and Portuguese traders is one of the objects being returned to Nigeria

A London museum says it has agreed to return to Nigeria artefacts looted in the 19th Century from the Kingdom of Benin.

The Horniman Museum said ownership of 72 objects would be transferred to the Nigerian government.

Items include 12 brass plaques, known as Benin Bronzes, a brass cockerel and a key to the king's palace.

It follows a request by Nigeria's National Commission for Museums and Monuments (NCMM) in January.

The museum, in south-east London, says it has consulted with community members, visitors, schoolchildren, academics, heritage professionals and artists based in Nigeria and the UK.

"All of their views on the future of the Benin objects were considered, alongside the provenance of the objects," the museum explained.

The museum's chair said it was "moral and appropriate" to return them.

The Horniman was recently named Museum of the Year 2022

In recent years, there has been increased political pressure on European governments and museums to hand back looted artefacts.

These include ivory carvings and metal sculptures known as the Benin Bronzes.

• Nigerian Ife head: Why UK police are holding a priceless sculpture

• The art dealer, the £10m Benin Bronze and the Holocaust

• Nigeria's Looty seeks to reclaim African art in digital form

Eve Salomon, chair of the museum, said: "The evidence is very clear that these objects were acquired through force, and external consultation supported our view that it is both moral and appropriate to return their ownership to Nigeria.

"The Horniman is pleased to be able to take this step and we look forward to working with the NCMM to secure longer-term care for these precious artefacts."

The items from the Horniman's collection are just some of the artefacts returned to Nigeria in the last few months from museums in the West.

Last year, Jesus College in Cambridge and Aberdeen University gave back a cockerel sculpture and the head of an oba (king).

German authorities also returned more than 1,100 artefacts to the west African country.

NCMM says some of the priceless sculptures will be stored in the national museum in Benin once it has been expanded, and others will be stored at the museum in Lagos.

The British Museum holds the world's largest collection of Benin bronzes.

It says it is prevented from permanently returning items by the British Museum Act of 1963 and the National Heritage Act of 1983.

Follow BBC London on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Send your story ideas to [e-mail]