Nigeria’s Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed on Wednesday, October 13, hailed the German Government for the repatriation of Benin artefacts from the European country.
About 1,130 pieces of Benin Bronzes are expected to be returned to Nigeria next year, after Germany decided to willingly return the items, taken during the slave trade era.
On Wednesday, Lai Mohammed, received the German government delegation that came to Nigeria for the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding.
Members of the German delegation included the Director of the Museum at Rothenbaum, Prof. Barbara Plankensteiner; President of the Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation, Prof. Hermann Parzinger and the German Ambassador to Nigeria, Birgitt Ory.
According to a statement issued by Segun Adeyemi, the spokesman of the Minister, Mohammed said the MoU “marked the beginning of efforts that will culminate in the signing, in December 2021, of the agreement on the repatriation of the Benin Bronzes.”