On 28 October, a ‘priceless’ bronze sculpture began its journey home to Nigeria. The sculpture depicts an Oba (king) of Benin, and was looted by British soldiers during the destruction of Benin City in 1897, in present-day Edo State in Nigeria. Sixty years later, Aberdeen University purchased the piece at an auction.
A recent review of collections revealed the ‘extremely immoral’ circumstances of the sculpture’s acquisition, and the university reached out to academics in Nigeria to organise its return. The delegation to accept the sculpture included representatives of the Nigerian government, the Kingdom of Benin, and Nigeria’s National Commission for Museums and Monuments.
Also attending the ceremony were two of GREC’s board members, Hector Williams and Sola Kasim (pictured above).
More information can be found on Aberdeen University’s website.