Nearly one year following the controversial opening of Benin Kingdom Gallery by the Massachusetts Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, the original owners of the priceless treasures are not giving up the fight for the return of their cultural inheritance.
Edo United for Homeland Empowerment, a Human rights group, with headquarters in Boston Massachusetts is demanding the return by MFA to Benin of all stolen Benin Kingdom artifacts in its possession.
The organization which also advocates cultural affinity to its homeland of Benin made the call during the week in Boston at its celebration of the recent return to Benin Kingdom of two cultural artifacts from the United Kingdom.
Mr. Mark Walker, a British Citizen and grandson of Captain Phillip Walker who joined in the sack of Benin Empire with the precipitate looting and burning of the King’s palace and city returned the two artifacts to Benin.
The artifacts are just few of the thousands of such now scattered around the world which were looted by British soldiers during the invasion of the Kingdom in 1897.
In a communiqué at the celebration, Edo United for Homeland Empowerment had a strong word for MFA and other holders of all stolen Benin property around the world, including the British government.
It told them in clear terms to search their souls and begin to return the objects as Mr. Walker did.
The communiqué was released by the organization’s president, Mr. Frank Ekhator, vice president, Barr. Dickson Iyawe and secretary, Mrs. Omolayo Omoruyi-Ukhuedoba.
The group lauded the consistent efforts of the Benin Monarch, Oba Erediauwa and his junior brother – the Enogie (Duke) of Obazuwa, His Royal Highness, Prince Edun Akenzua in demanding the return of all such stolen treasures.
“The return of the two stolen priceless items would never have occurred except that Walker’s conscience was moved by the consistent and principled demands from Oba Erediauwa, for Museums and private art collectors to return all looted cultural items over which they have no legal or moral claim.”
The organization said that contemporary public opinion has turned against the holders of looted artifacts worldwide, citing the case of the Metropolitan Museum in New York which recently reversed its decision and voluntarily returned two statues to Cambodia after a decade-long legal battle.
It referred to the government of Japan which returned a Korean monumental object that was stolen a century ago during the Russo-Japanese war, recalling that Italy brought back to Ethiopia a 3,000 year -old stone Obelisk that Mussolini had triumphantly removed to Rome in 1936.
“Similarly, the case of Nazi-looted artworks remains active, and Poland has never ceased to demand compensation for its property that was looted or destroyed after Hitler’s invasion.”
“To protect cultural heritage is a basic requirement of human civilization. No responsible family or community can squander its inheritance and still survive,” the organization said.
The group reminded all sons and daughters of Benin Kingdom of their responsibility to sustain the campaign for the return of all illegally acquired ancient artifacts of Benin Kingdom.
“As declared by UNESCO and the International Council of Museums, the return of such key objects to their originating context forms part of a people’s inalienable cultural right to the basic elements of their identity,” Edo United quoted.
“For all these reasons, we the Edo people as the legitimate collective owners of these artworks echo the stance of our Monarch that we will never give up our rights; neither will we cease to demand the return of our stolen inheritance.”
The organization recalled what it described as the aggravated, neo-colonial intrigues by which the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston tried to justify the launching of its Benin Kingdom Gallery that houses the so-called Lehman Brothers Collections last summer.
Edo United condemned the Massachusetts Museum of Fine Arts for what it called its deceptive posture in organizing the grand opening of Benin Kingdom Gallery, giving the impression that it had the blessing of the Benin Monarch.
It accused the Museum of inducing some naive and corruptible Benin indigenes in Boston “who colluded in a theatrical sham with some visiting Benin Chiefs, who might have been tricked to talk, sing and dance at the grand opening gala in the presence of world press and the unsuspecting public.”
“ Several journalists, starting with Tajudeen Sowole (Guardian, Lagos, 29 September 2013), quoted inside Palace sources including Oba’s younger brother, His Royal Highness Prince Edun Akenzua, who testified to the outraged reaction of His Royal Majesty, Oba Erediauwa, when he learned about the Boston episode for the first time.”
“The insincerity of the MFA was also clear when Chief Nosakhare Isekhure, a visiting High Priest of the Palace, was barred from even viewing the looted treasures without payment of an admission fee.”
The organization recalled how a few months later in what could be termed an attempt to excuse their bad faith towards Benin Kingdom or a ploy of another intrigue presented a handful of stolen antiquities with no relevance to the ones stolen from Benin to the Nigerian government.
Edo United called on MFA’s newly appointed curator of African collections to urgently review the string of miscalculations that led to the offensive and unauthorized “opening ceremony” of the Benin Kingdom Gallery on 28 September 2013.
“Accountability cannot be shirked for the catalogue of unfortunate errors, as well as outright deceptions or sleight of hand, performed by all those responsible for conducting that deplorable, if not tragicomic, episode.”
The Edo people as a whole, the group said cherish Walker’s example, and will welcome all sincere people who seek and respect the truth to emulate him.
