Benin social cultural group, Edo National Voice (ENV), has expressed dismay over an alleged attempt by the director general, Nigerian National Commission for Museums and Monuments, Abba Isa Tijanni, to frustrate the return of over 100 artefacts gazetted by President Muhammadu Buhari which gave right of ownership to the Oba of Benin.
President Buahri had on March 28, 2023 stated in a gazzete that the Oba of Benin is the rightful owner of all returned Benin bronzes and responsible for the management of all places where the artefacts are kept.
The group in statement said it was shocked when a statement purportedly credited to the director general had inferred that the gazette which would allow quick return of the artefacts from University of Cambridge’s Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology is not clear.
President of EVN, Iyamu Osaro and secretary general, Comrade Collings Amadin, accused Abba Tijani of misleading authorities of the University of Cambridge.
“A few days ago, our attention was drawn to a statement credited to Abba Isa Tijanni that the gazette signed by President Buhari which gave the Oba of Benin the right of ownership and management of all returned and yet to be returned thousands of stolen artefacts was not too clear.
“Abba Isa Tijanni said the University of Cambridge had planned to return 116 artefacts this month but this was put on hold after the decree started circulating last month and it was postponed because the gazette is not very clear on some issues and we want to find out which body is responsible for the signing of the agreement to repatriate the artefacts.
“Therefore, we want to ask Abba Isa Tijanni which part of the gazette signed by President isn’t clear or could it be that the gazette was written in foreign language that made him to say that some part was not clear or is he now usurping the position of President Buhari or saying his employer doesn’t know what he did?.
“Abba Tijanni forgot so soon that the commission had in the past signed agreements to return looted artefacts, including from Cambridge College and Germany and returned same to the Oba of Benin Kingdom who is the rightful owner of all Benin stolen artefacts.
“We therefore called on Abba Tijanni to immediately write to the University of Cambridge to return the more than 100 Benin bronzes to the Oba of Benin as contained in the gazette, having misled them and tender an unreserved apology to the good people of Benin Kingdom,” the group said.
