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FG To Take Custody Of Looted Benin Artifacts Until…
Published
3 years agoon
By
EditorThe Federal Government has said it will take possession of the looted 1,330 Benin artifacts to be returned by Germany.
Minister of Information and Culture Lai Mohammed stated this on Saturday.
He said it will take possession because it is its duty by law to do so.
He said Federal Government has been exercising this right in cognisance of that culture that produced the artifacts.
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” That is why the Ministry of Information and Culture and the National Commission for Museums and Monuments have always involved both the Edo State government and the Royal Benin Palace in discussions and negotiations that have now resulted in the impending return of these antiquities,” he added.
This will put to rest the seeming controversy between the Edo State Government and Oba of Benin Palace on whose right it is to take custody of the artifacts.
Recently Edo Governor Godwin Obaseki announced his administration is working on the building of a multi-million new museum called Edo Museum of West African Arts (EMOWAA) to house the objects, an idea that didn’t go down well with the Benin monarch.
The Benin monarch called on Federal Government to take custody of the objects pending when the Royal Benin Museum being built by the palace is ready.
READ ALSO: Oba Of Benin Urges Imposters Fronting Stolen Artifacts To Desist
The Minister who spoke with Arts Editors in Lagos on Saturday said that in line with international best practice and the operative conventions and laws, the return of the artifacts is being negotiated bilaterally between Nigeria and Germany by international law as the authority in control of antiquities originating from Nigeria.
He noted that the relevant international conventions treat heritage properties as properties belonging to the nations and not to individuals or subnational groups.
“For example, the 1970 UNESCO Convention, in its Article 1, defines cultural property as property specifically designated by that nation.
“This allows individual nations to determine what it regards as its cultural property. Nevertheless, the Nigerian state – through the Federal Ministry of Information and Culture and the National Commission for Museums and Monuments – has been working assiduously over the past years to repatriate our looted artefacts carried along our important traditional institutions and state governments,” he said.
Mohammed disclosed that Federal Government is not only limiting the battle to repatriate the stolen Benin bronzes but also working on repatriating Ife Bronzes and Terracotta, Nok Terracotta, Owo Terracotta, the arts of the Benue River Valley, the Igbo Ukwu, the arts of Bida, the arts of Igala, Jukun among others.
READ ALSO: Benin Artefacts: Obaseki Bows, Promises Cooperation With Benin Palace
He cited the government’s efforts over the Igbo statues that were auctioned at Christie’s in the Year 2020, and the fact that we took the British and Belgian authorities to ICPRCP in 2019 over an Ife
object as examples.
He assured the repatriation of the Benin objects are unconditional and would not be staggered.
On the definite timeline for the release of the artefacts, the Minister said: “We agreed to have a definitive timeline for the repatriation of the artefacts because Nigeria is tired of an indefinite timeline.
“Therefore, we resolved that the agreement on the repatriation should be signed in December 2021 and the repatriation should be concluded by August 2022.
” I told the Germans that Nigeria is averse to attaching pre-conditions to repatriating the Benin Bronzes.
“These are our properties, do not give us conditions for releasing them. We, therefore, agreed that the release will be unconditional, neither will it be staggered.”
Continuing, he said: “At the meetings in Germany, I insisted, and it was resolved that provenance research on the Benin Bronzes cannot and must not delay their return, since the origin of Benin objects is not a subject of dispute as such objects are only associated with the Benin Kingdom.
“On the German authorities’ proposal to return a ‘substantial part’ of the Benin Bronzes. I have asserted the stand of the Nigerian government by
demanding full and unconditional release of the artefacts.
“Concerning recording the artefacts in 3D formats for posterity and academic sake under the ‘digitalbenin’ project, of which we are a part. I have told the Germans that this work of digitalizing the Benin Bronzes must not delay the return of the artefacts and that issues related to copyrights ownership and other rights over the digitalized objects will be discussed soon.”
He disclosed that the meeting agreed to Nigeria’s proposal to use the repatriated artefacts and other works of art to inspire Nigeria’s Creative Industry towards realizing its high potential.
According to him, for this and other purposes, it was agreed that the Germans will facilitate the establishment of an academy in Nigeria.
Allaying the fears of where to warehouse these objects when repatriated, Mohammed said the government is working in partnership with organisations to provide museum for them.
(NATION)
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Latest news
Man, 38 Escapes Assassination Attempt In Benin
Published
9 months agoon
July 22, 2023By
EditorBy Omokha Andrew
A 38-year-old activist, Innocent Omoruyi, narrowly escaped assassination in the early hours of Wednesday, July 19, 2023 as his residence at Obe Community,Sapele Road in Benin city was attacked by yet to be identified gun men.
The attack which eye witnesses say was viciously executed on Wednesday, July 19, 2023 bore the markings of a dreaded cult group terrorizing Benin City, the state capital.
The Obe, Sapale Road incident, it was learnt, happened soon after Omoruyi left the house to attend to matters of interest some few metres away from his home.
The assailants were said to have shot sporadically in their frustration as residents scampered for safety.
However, Omoruyi escaped unharmed.
One of the eye witnesses who craved anonymity said: “The felons apparently went for the kill, weilding guns and other dangerous weapons. “We are shocked that they didn’t see Innocent Omoruyi who was just some few metres away from home when they arrived”.
“How that happened, only God knows and it was obvious that it wasn’t his time to die yet and just before that not long ago his business place on Lagos Street, Benin City was burnt down in the middle of the night by unknown arsonists.
“This sequence of events is not ordinary. We know it’s politically motivated due to the role he played in the last general elections. He has been advised to go into hiding at the moment for his personal safety”, he concluded.
When contacted, the police Public Relations Officer Chidi Nwabuzor said he was yet to get any information as regards the latest incident. He promised to feed our correspondent with relevant details as soon as they become handy.
Our information source however revealed that the matter has already been incidented at the Love World Police station on Sapele Road, Benin city.
Business
Nigeria To Earn Over $4bn Revenue As FEC Okays Concession Of Abuja, Kano Airports
Published
11 months agoon
May 18, 2023By
EditorNigeria will earn over $4 billion in nominal revenue as the Federal Executive Council, FEC, on Wednesday okayed the concession of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA), Abuja, and Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA), Kano, to the Corporacion American Airport Consortium, a Luxembourg-based company.
James Odaudu, the Special Assistant on Public Affairs to the Minister of Aviation, disclosed this in a statement on Thursday.
According to him, the Council also approved that the Federal Ministry of Aviation would be renamed the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace.
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The statement noted that the company would make combined upfront payments of $8.5 million for the concession of NAIA and MAKIA.
He added that the development would spur evidential growth within the Nigerian aviation industry.
“In alignment with the Aviation Roadmap, approved by Mr President on 18th October 2016, the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace is delighted to inform all stakeholders, both local and international, and the media, that the concession of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA), Abuja, and Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA), Kano has been approved by the Federal Executive Council,” the statement said.
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In December 2022 and January 2023, Corporacion American Airport Consortium was announced as the preferred bidder for the airport’s concession after scaling through a series of evaluations of technical and financial bids.
Nominal revenues mean income not adjusted for inflation and decreasing purchasing power.
Latest news
Russia Expelled From Council Of Europe Amid War With Ukraine
Published
2 years agoon
March 16, 2022By
EditorThe Council of Europe says it has expelled Russia with immediate effect after 26 years of membership because of the Ukraine war.
The Committee of Ministers took the decision in a special session, the rights body announced in the French city of Strasbourg on Wednesday.
Earlier, Russia had already declared its withdrawal from the Council of Europe after it had taken steps to exclude it.
On Tuesday evening, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe voted unanimously in favour of Russia’s exclusion.
Russia joined the Council of Europe on Feb. 28, 1996.
Together with the formal notification of the withdrawal, the Secretary-General of the Council of Europe also received information from the Russian Federation on Tuesday about its intention to denounce the European Convention on Human Rights.
In a statement on Tuesday evening, the leaders of the Council of Europe once again condemned the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
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They expressed their solidarity with the Russian people, who continue to belong to the European family and share its values.
The body said it would continue to stand by Ukraine in the fight against the aggressor.
The Council of Europe monitors the observance of human rights in its 46 member states and is not part of the European Union.
The body reacted to the Russian invasion of Ukraine two weeks ago by suspending Russia’s membership, this decision was considered historic.
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