By Ighomuaye Lucky. O
The Netherlands has finally made up plans to hand over 119 Benin bronzes to Nigeria on June 21, 2025 after the passage of 128 years since the British invaded the Benin Empire and looted them away.
The development was shared by the Dutch Embassy in Nigeria, and an official further disclosed that the handover ceremony is scheduled for June 21 at the National Museum in Lagos.
The bronzes will subsequently be returned to the National Museum in Benin City.
Per reports, the number of artefacts is believed to be the single largest to be returned to Nigeria.
The latest announcement comes after the ambassador-designate, Bengt van Loosdrech, said in February that the artefacts should never have ended up in the Netherlands.
He said that Nigeria had been clamouring for the return of the bronzes for more than 50 years.
