Benin bronze returned to Nigeria

The restitution of a Benin bronze - 22nd October 2021

A Cambridge University college has returned a stolen bronze cockerel to a delegation from Nigeria. The sculpture, known as the "Okukur" was pillaged during a punitive expedition by the British in 1897.

The piece was donated to the college by the father of a student in 1905, taking pride of place at the college dining hall for many years before finally being removed from display in 2016.

At a ceremony marking the restitution of the stolen artwork, Sonita Alleyne, master of Jesus College, explained its significance. "It's a momentous occasion" she said, adding that returning the artefact was the "right thing to do" as the bronze was of "cultural and spiritual significance to the people of Nigeria. It's part of their ancestral heritage."

Ms Alleyne said the Nigerian representatives would decide how and when to move the Okukur, which will then be retained by Nigeria's National Commission for Museums and Monuments.

Benin City, in present-day Nigeria, was sacked by British colonial forces in 1897, with around 10,000 artworks pillaged. Thousands of these pieces are scattered through collections that are still being kept across the globe, including approximately 900 works held by the British Museum.

Jesus College became the first institution to restore a looted Benin bronze, with its 2019 decision to do so, coming after the college's Legacy of Slavery Working Party concluding that the cockerel "belongs with the current Oba at the Court of Benin." The LSWP, which includes academics and students, was set up in 2019 by the college to investigate historical links it may have to the slave trade.

The Oba of Benin is head of the historic Eweka dynasty of the Benin Empire.

His Royal Majesty, Oba of Benin, Omo N'Oba N'Edo Uku Akpolokpolo, Ewuare II said: "We are indeed very pleased and commend Jesus College for taking this lead in making restitution for the plunder that occurred in Benin in 1897. We truly hope that others will expedite the return of our artworks which in many cases are of religious importance to us."