The Oba of Benin, His Royal Majesty, Omo N’Oba N’Edo Uku Akpolokpolo, Ewuare II, has attributed the kingdom’s success in protecting its cultural treasures to divine intervention and prayers. According to the monarch, the palace relied on God’s intervention, rather than human strength, to overcome those allegedly seeking to take away the cultural treasures returned following the 1897 British invasion. This statement was made during a courtesy visit by the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Brig.-Gen. Buba Marwa (retd.), to the palace in Benin City, Edo State.
Oba Ewuare II emphasized that prayers, alongside the support of traditional chiefs, members of the royal family, and well-wishers, played crucial roles in protecting the kingdom’s cultural heritage. He vowed that no attempt to take away the returned artefacts would succeed during his reign. The monarch noted that the campaign for the restitution of looted Benin artefacts predated his reign, with successive generations of the royal family, including his grandfather and father, sustaining the struggle.
The Benin monarch stated that he had intensified the efforts of his predecessors, expressing satisfaction with the growing international response to the kingdom’s demand for the return of its cultural treasures. Oba Ewuare II also recalled his diplomatic engagements as Nigeria’s ambassador to Scandinavian countries, including Sweden, Norway, Denmark, and Finland, where he pursued initiatives to strengthen cultural relations and promote the restitution campaign.
During his diplomatic engagements, Oba Ewuare II presented specially commissioned Benin artworks to European monarchs as gifts, aiming to deepen cultural ties and encourage the return of artefacts taken from the kingdom. He disclosed that he presented artworks to the kings of Sweden and Norway and the Queen of Denmark, adding that the engagements had contributed to efforts to secure the return of the kingdom’s looted heritage.
The monarch revealed that Sweden was expected to hand over about 40 additional Benin artefacts, with arrangements already being made for their legal and physical transfer. He described the anticipated restitution as another outcome of sustained diplomatic engagements and the longstanding campaign by the Benin Palace for the recovery of the kingdom’s cultural treasures.
Oba Ewuare II’s efforts to recover the kingdom’s looted heritage have garnered international attention, with several countries responding positively to the restitution campaign. The monarch’s diplomatic initiatives have been instrumental in securing the return of Benin artefacts, and his reliance on divine intervention and prayers has been seen as a unique approach to protecting the kingdom’s cultural heritage.
The Oba of Benin’s statement has been welcomed by stakeholders, who recognize the importance of preserving Nigeria’s cultural treasures. The return of looted artefacts is seen as a significant step towards promoting Nigeria’s rich cultural heritage and encouraging a greater understanding of the country’s history.
Key points
- The Oba of Benin credits divine intervention and prayers for foiling attempts to re-loot returned Benin artefacts.
- The monarch’s diplomatic engagements have contributed to the return of looted heritage, with Sweden expected to hand over 40 additional artefacts.
- Oba Ewuare II vows to continue protecting the kingdom’s cultural treasures during his reign.
