The Federal government of Nigeria has received a stolen bronze artifact from Cambridge University College, United Kingdom.
Oba Ewuare II, who had played host to the Chairman of DAAR Communication Ltd, Chief Raymond Dokpesi, who visited him as part of activities to mark his 70th birthday, last week Wednesday had revealed that the Cambridge University would soon return some artifacts to the kingdom.
The Oba had also explained that the artifacts would be kept in a museum planned to be built opposite the palace.
‘Okuko’ was taken by British colonial forces in 1897 and given to Jesus College in 1905 by the father of a student.
Reports disclose that a decision for it to be returned was made in 2019 after a campaign by students, which led to the removal of the statue from display at the College in 2016.
At a ceremony on Wednesday in the UK, the University handed over the cockerel statue to a delegation from Nigeria, led by Prof. Abba Issa Tijani of Nigeria’s National Commission for Museums and Monuments.
The Commission received the artifact from the College on behalf of the Federal Government and the Royal Court of Benin.
In his remarks, Tijani said, “We’re excited, very happy to see that this artifact, which has been away from Nigeria for decades, is in good shape.”
