BENIN BRONZES

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• Germany has returned 20 Benin Bronzes to Nigeria that were taken to Germany from Nigeria in the 19th century.
  • The return of the artefacts is the result of an agreement signed between both nations to transfer the ownership of Benin Bronzes to Nigeria.

Benin Bronzes

• The Benin Bronzes are a group of more than 3,000 sculptures and artworks from the ancient Kingdom of Benin in present-day Nigeria.
  • These were looted by British colonial forces during their raid on Benin City in 1897.
• These artefacts provide insight into the culture of the Benin Kingdom as well as its relationships with neighbouring states.
• In 1897, the British launched a retaliatory military expedition after some British delegates were killed on their way to Benin City for a trade mission,
  • The Benin Royal Palace was partially destroyed and looted — thousands of artefacts were taken back to Great Britain.
  • Since then, the items have been scattered around the world.
• The 'Benin Bronzes' (made of brass and bronze) are a group of sculptures which include elaborately decorated cast plaques, commemorative heads, animal and human figures, items of royal regalia, and personal ornaments.
  • They were created from at least the 16th century onwards in the West African Kingdom of Benin, by specialist guilds working for the royal court of the Oba (king) in Benin City.
  • Many pieces were commissioned specifically for the ancestral altars of past Obas and Queen Mothers.
  • They were also used in other rituals to honour the ancestors and to validate the accession of a new Oba.

• The 20 Benin Bronzes returned by Germany recently include an 18th-century throne stool and a sculpture commemorating a Benin Oba (king).
  • It is expected that many more will reach Nigeria by next year.

Nigeria

• Nigeria is officially known as the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
• It is a country in West Africa.
• It is geographically situated between the Sahel in the north and the Gulf of Guinea in the south in the Atlantic Ocean.
• It is the most populous country in the African continent and the world’s 7th-most populous country.
• Nigeria shares borders with:
  • Niger in the North.
  • Chad in the Northeast.
  • Cameroon in the East.
  • Benin in the West.
• Nigeria is inhabited by more than 250 ethnic groups speaking 500 distinct languages.
• The three largest ethnic groups are;
  • Hausa in the North.
  • Yoruba in the West.
  • Igbo in the east
• The official language is English.
• It is a regional power in Africa and an emerging global power.
• Nigeria's economy is the largest in Africa.
• Nigeria is the 12th largest producer of petroleum in the world, Petroleum accounting for 40% of GDP and 80% of government earnings.
• Nigeria also has a huge reserve of underexploited mineral resources including coal, bauxite, tantalite, gold, tin, iron ore, limestone, niobium, lead and zinc.
  • Despite huge deposits of natural resources, the mining industry is underdeveloped in Nigeria.

Germany

• Germany is formally known as the Federal Republic of Germany.
• It is located in Central Europe.
• It is the 2nd most populous country in Europe after Russia.
• It is the most populous country in the European Union.
• Germany is located between the Baltic and the North Sea in the north.
• Germany shares borders with;
  • The Alps in the South.
  • Denmark in the north.
  • Poland and the Czech Republic in the east.
  • Austria and Switzerland in the south.
  • France, Luxembourg, Belgium, and the Netherlands in the west.
• It is the 7th largest country in Europe.
• Most people follow Christianity.
• The official language is German.
• The capital is Berlin; it is also the largest city.
• Germany has the largest economy in Europe.
• It is the world's 4th-largest economy by nominal GDP and the 5th-largest by Purchasing power parties (PPPs).
• It is both the world's third-largest exporter and importer of goods.
• It is categorised as a developed country, it ranks very high on the Human Development Index.
• Areas of the Rhine, Danube and Elbe are rich in natural resources including iron ore, coal, potash, timber, lignite, uranium, copper, natural gas, salt, nickel, etc.

https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-global/a-short-history-of-looted-benin-bronzes-8339868/