We Will Protect Benin Artefacts, Tinubu Assures Monarch

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has pledged to protect Benin artefacts returned to the country from different parts of the world as a way of archiving the history of the people.

Speaking when he received the Oba of Benin, Omo N’Oba N’Edo Uku Akpolokpolo Ewuare II, and other traditional leaders from Edo State, the president in a statement by his media aide, Dele Alake, assured them that his administration would support the Benin Royal Council in its bid to establish a museum that will house the artefacts.

The president congratulated the Benin monarch for the retrieval of the stolen artefacts, commending his effort in ensuring that a befitting museum is built to archive the rich history and traditions of the Benin Kingdom.

“It deserves our protection. We are glad to have them back, and we are glad you are happy. They are in protective custody. It is a matter of history, over a hundred years. We will work on the museum,” he said.

President Tinubu said the federal government was currently undertaking an audit of its infrastructure projects, promising to ensure that roads in Edo State are considered in line with a request made by the traditional ruler.

In his address, Oba Ewuare II commended President Tinubu for the giant strides of his administration within its first weeks.

“We’ve predicted that you would hit the ground running and you have done so, even faster than we thought,” he said.

He said the steps taken by the president since his inauguration on May 29, 2023 had renewed the hope of Nigerians and put the country on the path to progress and development.

The monarch appealed to Tinubu to help the Benin Palace to ensure that the artefacts returned are not stolen or taken over from the Benin Royal House.

Oba Ewuare II thanked the federal government for his appointment as pro-chancellor of the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN).ever Nigeria on this important initiative that focuses on developing critical 21st-century skills for young people,” said Cristian Munduate, UNICEF Nigeria Representative. “We look forward to seeing the positive impact this program will have on the lives of youths across Nigeria in helping them succeed in the workplace and contribute to the economic growth of their communities.”

UNICEF’s Generation Unlimited Nigeria initiative is a public-private-youth partnership aimed to support 20 million young Nigerians by 2030 with skills and opportunities to transition from learning to earning, through shared-value partnerships around digital skills development, workforce readiness programmes, and young people engagement.