When the Artifacts come home to roost

Written by Oritsejolomi Otomewo

1. A tale of two museums

Every November, Lagos transforms itself from Nigeria’s commercial capital to its cultural capital. The hustle and bustle of the financial district give way to art exhibitions and cultural festivals, from Art X to the African International Film Festival. But last year, things were a bit different. While the festivities were happening in Lagos, the ancient city of Benin hosted one of the most significant events in Nigeria’s arts and culture.

The Museum of West African Art (MOWAA) was previewing its purpose-built building. The two-day event, titled Museum in the Making, featured the building’s hard hat opening, creative workshops, panels, and social gatherings. Marking the start of the museum's first annual programming season, it led up to MOWAA’s inaugural exhibition, which will be held later this year.

Thousands of miles away in Egypt, the Grand Egyptian Museum had opened the doors of some of its galleries for a trial run of 4,000 visitors. The museum, near the Pyramids of Giza, will showcase more than 100,000 Egyptian artifacts, including treasures from the tomb of King Tutankhamun. The billion-dollar museum, initially scheduled to open in 2012, had suffered repeated delays due to political turmoil, cost overruns, and the COVID-19 pandemic, but was now finally preparing for its opening.

Both museums had something in common; at their inaugurations, they showcased expansive collections of traditional African art, a significant part of which had been repatriated to the continent in recent years. But their openings also marked a new chapter in a decades-long movement.

2. A long way home

The movement for repatriating African artifacts to the continent has been gathering steam for years. It represents a significant shift in global cultural relations between the continent and the rest of the world. These artifacts—most of which were taken during the colonial era through looting, forced sales, or duress by European powers in the late 19th and early 20th centuries—hold deep cultural, spiritual, and historical significance for their communities of origin.

The growing momentum for restitution is a result of the continued efforts of African nations that have long campaigned for the return of these priceless artifacts. Countries like Nigeria, the Republic of Benin, and Ethiopia have been at the forefront of the movement, and their efforts have begun to yield results. In 2022, the Smithsonian Museum returned 29 Benin bronzes to Nigeria. More recently, the German government handed over a cache of 22 artifacts to Nigeria. In total, 117 African artifacts were publicly returned to the continent in 2024.

Read the rest of the essay here: Communique? 53: When the artifacts come home to roost