By oladayomartins 
•Objects represent single largest return of Bini antiquities
Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja
The Netherlands is set to return 119 looted Benin Bronzes to Nigeria, following a request from the Nigerian government, a statement from the embassy of the North-western European country said yesterday.
The transfer agreements were signed by the Dutch Minister of Education, Culture and Science, Mr. Eppo Bruins and Nigeria’s Director General of the National Commission for Museums and Monuments (NCMM), Olugbile Holloway.
The objects are expected to arrive in Nigeria later this year, the statement said, explaining that the restitution underscores the strong partnership between the Netherlands and Nigeria.
According to the release, the country is returning the Benin Bronzes unconditionally, recognising that the objects were looted during the British attack on Benin City in 1897, and should have never ended up in the Netherlands.
Dutch Minister of Education, Culture and Science, Bruins, said: “This restitution contributes to redressing a historical injustice that is still being felt today. Cultural heritage is essential for telling and living the history of a country and a community. The Benin Bronzes are indispensable to Nigeria. It is good that they are going back.”
The Netherlands and Nigeria, the statement added, are working closely together to realise this historic restitution.
In his remarks, Ambassador-designate of the Netherlands to Nigeria, Mr. Bengt van Loosdrecht, said: “We congratulate Nigeria for being at the forefront of efforts to reclaim colonial looted art. For over 50 years, Nigeria has advocated for the return of the Benin Bronzes. This restitution is a testament to the enduring strength of our partnership with Nigeria.”
Also, the Director General of NCMM, Holloway, highlighted the significance of the return, noting that the objects from the Netherlands will represent the single largest return of Benin antiquities directly linked to the 1897 British punitive expedition.
“The return of 119 objects from the Netherlands will represent the single largest return of Benin antiquities directly linked to the 1897 British punitive expedition. We thank the Netherlands for their cooperation and hope this will set a good example for other nations of the world in terms of repatriation of lost or looted antiquities,” he said.
The signing ceremony took place at the Wereldmuseum in Leiden, the Netherlands, where the Benin Bronzes were previously displayed.
The Dutch museum expressed its willingness to continue working with Nigeria, adding: “We find it valuable that the objects are returning to Nigeria. We hope that this return is not the end of a process, but the start of further cooperation between museums in Nigeria and the Netherlands.”
The event was attended by high-level guests, including the DG NCMM, Holloway; Mr. BabatundeAdebiyi, Legal Director of NCMM; and Mrs. NnenneEbereEbekaku, Chargé d’Affaires of the Nigerian Embassy in the Netherlands.
The Dutch government’s decision, according to the statement, followed the recommendation of an independent expert committee in line with the Dutch policy on the restitution of objects from a colonial context. “Of the 119 objects being returned, 113 of the objects were part of the Dutch State Collection, while the remaining six were given back by the Municipality of Rotterdam,” the embassy stated