Benin Bronze: University of Aberdeen dey return Benin Bronze to Nigeria - Key facts about di art work history

Di University of Aberdeen don tok say dem go return one Benin Bronze sculpture to Nigeria within weeks.

Dis na one of di first public institutions to do so more than one century afta Britain loot di sculptures and auction them to Western museums and collectors.

Di university say di sculpture of a ruler of the Kingdom of Benin, had left Nigeria in an extremely immoral fashion, and should be returned.

Professor George Boyne, Principal and Vice-Chancellor of di University of Aberdeen tok say: "I welcome di decision of di University of Aberdeen Court to support di return of di Benin bronze.

Dis na in line with our values as international, inclusive university and our foundational purpose to dey open to all and dedicated to di pursuit of truth in di service of others.

"E no go dey right to retain dis kain item wey dey of such great cultural importance and we collect in di kain circumstance wey no dey too good.

We therefore decide say na unconditional return of di item go be di most appropriate action we fit take, and we dey grateful for di close collaboration wit our partners for Nigeria." Di Professor add.

Benin Bronze sculpture - Interesting facts

History of di artwork and why University of Aberdeen dey return am

Between di 13th and 19th centuries Benin City na di principal city of di Kingdom of Benin and of di Edo pipo, and dem sab idem for dia artistic traditions to dey cast bronze and carve ivory.

Expansion of British colonial control for di late 19thC bring fight to di Kingdom of Benin. For 1897 British forces attack and destroy Benin City kill many of im inhabitants. Dem burn di royal palace and loot and dem send Oba, Ovonramwen Nogbaisi, comot from di kingdom.

Di British steal thousands of religious and cultural treasures, plus di sculpture wey now dey for University of Aberdeen collection. Many of di soldiers and administrators involve sell di objects to museums or private collectors.

Dem later give others as gifts to museums or dem sell am for auction.

Dem buy dis Head of one Oba sculpture for one auction by a University curator for 1957.

Knowing dis history, to retain dis artwork for dia collection , di university feel say dem go dey support di colonial violence wey bring am to Britain in di first place.

Nigeria Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, say: "Di reaching out by di University of Aberdeen and eventual release of di priceless antiquity na step in di right direction.

He say other pipo wey hold Nigerian antiquity suppose dis to bring fairness to di burning issue of repatriation".

On Wednesday Germany' foreign minister also say di return of di 440 bronzes in dia collection na " question of justice".

Tori be say : Germany dey consider to return artefacts known as Benin bronzes to Nigeria, di committee tok.

Dem bin loot di artefacts from the Kingdom of Benin, wey dey present day southern Nigeria, during di colonial era and dem hold am for Ethnological Museum for di German capital.

Di Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation (SPK), wey dey manage Berlin museums, say im members "agree that in di case of di Benin bronzes, dem go find solution wey go also consider di return of objects as option".

Elsewhere for di UK, Cambridge University dey also plan to return another bronze, as Benin dialogue group, set up to discuss di return of di hundreds of artefacts wey British Museum hold say, discussion still dey ongoing.