British Museum to assist in establishing museum at Oba of Benin palace

THE Oba of Benin, Omo N’Oba Ewuare II has expressed his willingness to partner with the British Museum to develop a World class museum which will be situated at the palace of the Oba to accommodate stolen artefact from Benin Kingdom.

The Oba who spoke in Benin yesterday during a visit by the Director of the British Museum, Mr. Hartwig Fischer said the museum would not only be of benefit to Edo people but to Nigerians and tourists from all over the world.

The Oba of Benin reiterated the need to return the stolen artefacts from the various museums across the world, pointing out that the Benin people are emotionally attached to them.

The Benin monarch told the director that the palace is reviving the bronze casting guild responsible for producing the artworks in order to keep it alive.

The Oba commended the dialogue group for facilitating the visit of the delegation towards the return of Benin artefact in British Museum, saying that he looks forward to visiting the British Museum.

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On the forthcoming launching of “The Red Book”, the monarch said the invitation would be extended to the Director of British Museum, the British government and other private collectors of works of art across the world, adding that Benin culture is far from being extinct as erroneously believed by some historians and academics in some part of the globe.

The director said that he was in the palace to inquire into the possibility of the museum offering assistance in terms of fundraising and training of personnel for the proposed museum.

Fischer also expressed the desire of the British Museum in offering assistance to the Oba Ewuare II Foundation, noting that he wanted to interphase with other museums in the world and be the driving force in the realization of these noble ideas.