Germany Promises To Return More Benin Artifacts Back To Nigeria.

The German government has announced that it will return more artifacts and bronzes taken from Benin back to Nigeria.

In a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed with Nigeria’s Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed, Dr. Andreas Gorgen the Director General for Culture and Communication, German Federal Foreign Office, said the repatriation will contribute to healing the wound inflicted by the looting.

According to reports Lai Mohammed said a team of experts will leave Nigeria soon to engage with stakeholders in Germany on the return of the artifacts.

The minister said though the country acquired them through global trading, it agreed to voluntarily relinquish them to further strengthen bilateral ties.

“The return of the artifacts will further cement
relationship between Nigeria and Germany. Culture today has become one of the effective tools for soft diplomacy,” he said.

On the other hand Gorgen hailed Nigeria’s National Commission for Museums and Monuments for its efforts.

Nigeria is expecting about 1,130 pieces of artifacts from the world power further reports claim.