Germany return Benin Bronzes wey dem bin loot back to Nigeria

Germany Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock don hand ova 20 artefacts wey dem loot during di 19th Century back to Nigeria.

Dis happun for one ceremony for di kontri capital, Abuja.

Di return of dis set of Benin Bronzes na afta one deal wey dem make earlier dis year to transfer ownership of more dan 1,000 of dis precious objects.

For July, Nigeria tok say dis na di first time one European kontri go enta into dis kain of agreement.

Baerbock tok say na part of efforts to deal wit "dark colonial history".

During di ceremony on Tuesday for Abuja, Baerbock add say dis na opportunity to right some of di wrongs of di past.

Among di objects wey dem return na some of di famous ceremonial heads, one ivory carving, plus one decorated plaque.

Moves to return objects wey dem tiff dring di colonial era don bin dey gada strength in recent years as European kontries and museums dey deal with how artefacts come into dia possession.

Di term Benin Bronzes refer to thousands of metal sculptures, plaques and carvings wey dem make between di 15th and 19th Centuries -

and wey British troops tiff for 1897 from di West African kingdom of Benin, wey dey known as Edo state for modern-day Nigeria.

Di sculptures, wey dey valuable and important sake of dia beauty and technical artistry, na spiritual and historical significance for di pipo dat part of Nigeria.

Di stealing of di object still remain one point of pain for di descendants of those from di ancient Benin kingdom.

Afta dem bin ship dem to UK for late 19th Century, dey auction many off for London and German collectors bin buy some, Germany foreign ministry tok.

Di kontri don dey hold around 1,100 of di estimated 5,000 wey dem collect from Nigeria, di statement tok.

Odas dey di archives of museums inside UK, including di British Museum, wey get di largest single collection of around 900 objects.

One act of parliament prevent di British Museum from returning dem.

But last month, London Horniman Museum, wey be private charity, handed back dozens of items including some Benin Bronzes to Nigerian ownership.

Dis come make dem di first museum for UK to officially take dis kind action.

Nigeria National Commission for Museums and Monuments don bin send formal repatriation requests to museums across di world.

For 2026, di goment dey plan to open di Edo Museum of West African Art inside Benin City.

Di Edo Museum dey designed by British-Ghanaian architect Sir David Adjaye, and di aim na to house di largest collection of Benin Bronzes wey dem don gada.

For di colonial era Germany govern parts of West, East and Southern Africa until di end of World War One.

Last year, dem officially accept say dem commit genocide during dia occupation of Namibia.

German colonisers kill tens of thousands of Ovaherero and Nama pipo there between 1904 and 1908.

For recent years, Germany don return human remains to Namibia, some of which dem bin use for one research into racial classification wey dey discredited now.