US Museum returns two artefacts to Benin Kingdom

The Benin Monarch, Omo N’oba N’edo Uku Akpolokpolo Ewuare II, has received two artefacts from the Stanley Museum of Art, University of Iowa, in the United States.

These artefacts—a wooden carved mother hen and a brass plaque—were among the thousands looted from the Oba of Benin’s palace during the 1897 Benin massacre.

The artefacts eventually ended up at the Stanley Museum of Art.

Cory Gundlach, the curator of African art at the Stanley Museum of Art, returned the artefacts and acknowledged the museum’s previous use of them in teaching Benin history without the Oba’s permission.

Gundlach apologised on behalf of the museum.

He was accompanied by Peju Layiwola, a special adviser to the Benin monarch, a Mellon curatorial fellow at the museum, and a member of the royal family.

The Oba expressed gratitude to Gundlach, the museum, and all those who facilitated the restitution efforts.

He also thanked those present to witness the handover and expressed hope that other museums in the United States would follow the Stanley Museum of Art’s example by returning looted artefacts in their possession.

He emphasised the immense cultural and historical value of the returned artefacts, stating, “The returned artefacts are worth a million times more than they seem, as they are highly significant.”

In a letter read before the Oba, Gundlach noted that this is the first time looted artefacts have been returned from the United States directly to the Palace of the Oba of Benin.

He assured the palace that the return of other looted artefacts from the U.S. would follow.

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