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.

Benin Bronze sculpture - Interesting facts

Di Bronze na di sculpture of di head of one Oba of Benin Kingdom.

Dem take di sculpture from Benin for 1897 afta one military expedition attack and destroy di Benin Kingdom.

Di sculpture of di ruler of di Kingdom of Benin, bin comot for Nigeria in an extremely immoral fashion

University of Aberdeen say dem buy di Bronze from art dealers for one auction for 1957.

Wen returned, Edo State government say dem go keep di Bronze for Edo Museum of West African Art.

"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.

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.