Netherlands Returns Benin Artefact After 129 Years, Renewing Calls for African Cultural Restitution
The Netherlands has returned another artefact to Nigeria’s Benin Kingdom, 129 years after British forces invaded Benin in 1897 and looted its treasures. The handover took place at the royal palace in Benin City on 20 October 2026. It formed part of events marking the tenth anniversary of Oba Ewuare II’s coronation. According to Punch Newspapers, the Netherlands’ Consul General, Frank Keurnorst, presented the artefact with Beatrice van Bormann, Executive Director of Museum De Fundatie. This return matters to the people of Benin. Their artefacts hold the history, traditions and identity of the kingdom. British forces took many of these treasures during the 1897 invasion. Bringing them home helps people reconnect with their heritage. However, the return of one artefact cannot make up for the many treasures that colonial forces took from Africa.
Across Africa and the Caribbean, communities continue to demand the return of cultural treasures taken during colonial rule. Foreign museums and private collectors still hold many objects that African and Caribbean people created and valued. These include royal objects, sculptures and items that tell the stories of their communities. Some institutions have started returning these treasures, but much work remains. The issue goes beyond where museums display these objects. African and Caribbean communities also deserve a say in how people preserve, study and present their history. A report by The Guardian Nigeria on the October 2026 handover adds to the coverage of this latest return. Still, each return represents only a small part of the wider effort to recover looted heritage and address the harm caused by colonial rule.
The return of Benin artefacts also supports Africa’s wider call for historical justice and reparations. Returning stolen objects cannot undo the violence and losses of colonial rule. However, it can help address past wrongs and restore part of what communities lost. African governments, traditional authorities, museums and cultural groups must work together to identify looted objects and demand their return. They must also strengthen African museums and cultural institutions to protect these treasures for future generations. At the same time, foreign institutions must examine their collections and take real steps to return objects taken without consent. The latest handover deserves recognition, but Africa’s restitution struggle is far from over. Across Africa and the Caribbean, many communities are still waiting to reclaim their cultural heritage.
