Edo in diaspora flays FG, Edo govt over custody of artefacts

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4 years ago

Edo indigenes in the diaspora have strongly condemned the move by either the Federal Government or the Edo State Government to take possession of the Benin artefacts, stolen from the palace of Oba of Benin by the British imperialists, during the invasion of the defunct Benin Empire in 1897, some of which are proposed to be returned by the German Government next year.

The German Government, it would be recalled, had, in the penultimate month, announced that it had concluded arrangements to return 1,130 pieces of such stolen artefacts by next year.

The proposal has since pitched the Edo State Government against the Benin Royal Palace, as both are making plans to house the artworks in different museums; with the Federal Government coming into the fray, claiming to be the rightful authority to possess the items.

The Edo indigenes in a press statement signed by Prince Sunny Obasohan, and made available to journalists in Benin, said that the artefacts were stolen from the Palace of the Oba of Benin during the malicious invasion and massacre of Benin during the reign of Oba Ovonramwen N’Ogbasi in 1897, hence the need to return the artefacts to the real owner, Benin Monarch for the preservation for the generation yet unborn.

According to Prince Obasohan: “Those artefacts were stolen from the Benin Empire when Nigeria as a country was not even in existence,” and wondered why one man in the name of the Federal Government or Governor would want to play smart on the people of Benin Kingdom.

“Edo in the Diaspora, particularly those of us in Canada, are solidly behind Oba Ewuare II, the Oba of Benin in the receiving of these artefacts,” Obasohan said.

He added that the stolen artefacts, that were returned in 1938 and that of the sons of Late Captain Phillips were brought to the palace and fully received by Oba Akenzua and Oba Erediauwa of blessed memory.

Obasohan maintained that: “such powers of government is null and void in our traditional parlance.”

The group explained that the fact-finding mission of the German Government to the palace of the Oba of Benin was a clear indication that the Obaseki Government was already putting spanner towards preventing reparation of the stolen artefacts to the Benin Kingdom.

He pointed out Obaseki could not be smarter than the Benin people, saying that: “Governor Obaseki’s claims to building a museum for the artefacts was inconsequential and the Benin Monarch, with the support of Edo people in the diaspora, are ready to receive the artefacts, as there would be a designed museum that would contain them.

He, therefore, called on Benin to rise up against any social injustice in a matter relating to the Benin traditional law and custom which is highly revered globally.

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Edo in diaspora flays FG, Edo govt over custody of artefacts

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