Headline
Nigeria Receives Looted Benin, Ife Artefacts From U.S. Museum
Published
4 years agoon
By
Editor
The Consulate-General of Nigeria in New York has taken custody of three Benin and Ife artefacts from the Metropolitan Museum of Art (MET) in New York.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Director-General, National Commission for Museums and Monuments (NCMM), Prof. Abba Tijjani, received the artefacts from the museum in company of the Consul-General of Nigeria in New York, Amb. Lot Egopija.
NAN also reports that the MET currently houses about 160 works of arts from Nigeria, which were mostly donated by individuals who were said to have acquired them in the art market.
Tijjani, who later signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with MET, commended the museum for returning the artefacts to Nigeria, urging other museums in possession of Nigerian artefacts to follow its exemplary gesture.
READ ALSO: Looted Benin Artifacts: No Controversy Over Ownership, Oba Of Benin Declares
The director-general said the issue of repatriation was now at the heart of the people looking at museums particularly in Europe that these artefacts were not their own yet they displayed them.
“We are looking forward to collaborating with the MET because we cannot exist in an island, for example, the museum cannot be working in Nigeria without collaborating with partners outside the country.
“So, we are looking forward to collaborating with MET now that we are friends and we understand each other and we want to see how we can work together,’’ he said.
“We have about 52 museums across the country under the commission, and we have 65 monuments and sites and staff working in the museums will require modern training.’’
Similarly, Tijjani called for collaboration between MET and NCMM on exhibition, scholarship and capacity building of the staff and getting the required curators
Noting that exhibition is key to reaching out to the public, he said “Nigeria is very passionate about the way it exhibits its artefacts and we feel that it will be good if we collaborate and rob minds when it comes to joint exhibitions.
“There is a need for us to exhibit our works in a way that we understand it and we want people to understand these artefacts too,’’ he said
The director-general said he was looking forward to signing Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with MET in those areas and other areas of mutual areas.
Also speaking, MET Director, Max Hollein said the shared commitment to future exchanges of programmes would form part of the MoU.
“We have we had long lasting relationships, the museum is committed to a responsible process in collaborating in areas of standards as well as to study works that have been in our collection.
“It’s an ongoing effort to learn to exchange and to find the right solutions,’’ he said.
READ ALSO: FG To Take Custody Of Looted Benin Artifacts Until…
Hollein said MET would be pleased to initiate the return of Nigeria’s works and remain “committed to transparency and the responsible collecting of cultural property”.
He said the signing of the MoU was a meaningful way to show dedication of MET with NCMM, adding the possibility to exchange more on different levels on scholarship, exhibitions and other ideas that we might have together.
“We at the MET are so pleased to establishing the framework of exchange with Nigeria and we are looking forward to collaborating together,’’ Hollein said.
NAN reports that the two 16th-century Benin brass plaques and the 14th-century Ife brass head were later taken to the Consulate-General of Nigeria in New York for eventual return to Nigeria at a later date.
(NAN/VANGUARD)
You may like
Headline
Again, Russia Claims Another Village In Ukraine’s Region
Published
1 day agoon
August 25, 2025By
Editor
The Russian army Monday claimed to have captured another village in Ukraine’s Dnipropetrovsk region, moving deeper into Ukrainian territory as peace efforts stall.
Russian forces are slowly but steadily gaining ground in costly battles for largely devastated areas in eastern and central Ukraine, normally with few inhabitants or intact buildings left.
Russia’s defence ministry said its forces had seized the settlement of Zaporizke in the region, which Russian troops recently advanced into for the first time in the three-and-a-half-year offensive.
READ ALSO:Russia, Ukraine Exchange Prisoners Of War, Civilians
Kyiv denies that Russian troops have gained a foothold in the Dnipropetrovsk region, an important industrial hub.
After another push by US President Donald Trump to broker a Ukraine-Russia summit, hopes for peace dimmed when Russia last week ruled out any immediate meeting between presidents Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelensky.
The central region of Dnipropetrovsk has previously been largely spared from fighting that has ravaged swathes of eastern and southern Ukraine, until Russia said its forces broke through in July.
READ ALSO:Russian Politicians Mock European Leaders After White House, Ukraine Talks
Dnipropetrovsk is not one of the five Ukrainian regions — Donetsk, Kherson, Lugansk, Zaporizhzhia and Crimea — that Moscow has publicly claimed as Russian territory.
Ukraine said Russia had launched over 100 drones Monday, killing a 37-year old civilian driver and wounding two people in the northeastern Sumy region.
Moscow said Kyiv had launched about two dozen drones targeting western Russia
Headline
US Comedian Reggie Carroll Shot Dead In Mississippi
Published
1 day agoon
August 25, 2025By
Editor
A United States comedian, Reginald “Reggie” Carroll, has been shot dead in Southaven, Mississippi.
The 52-year-old Carroll, widely known as the Knockout King of Comedy, was reportedly killed on Wednesday, August 20, 2025, after sustaining multiple gunshot wounds.
The Southaven Police Department confirmed the incident in a Facebook statement on Saturday.
“Southaven officers located one male victim suffering from gunshot wounds.
READ ALSO:US Defends New Social Media Vetting For Nigerian Visa Applicants
“The officers and medical personnel provided life saving techniques but the individual succumbed to his injuries,” the statement partly read.
The victim was later identified as Carroll, a Baltimore native.
Police said one suspect was arrested and charged with his murder.
“One male is in custody and has been charged with the murder of Reginald Carroll.
READ ALSO:Russia, Ukraine Exchange Prisoners Of War, Civilians
“Our thoughts are with the family of Mr. Carroll.
“Thank you to the community for their patience and understanding,” the department added.
The police further assured that there was no ongoing threat to residents, describing the case as “an isolated shooting.”
Carroll, who built his career in stand-up comedy, gained national recognition touring with Katt Williams and headlining his own showcase, Knockout Kings of Comedy.
READ ALSO:Leader Of UK Christian Group Convicted Of Sexually Abusing Women
He also featured in the 2000 edition of Showtime at the Apollo, appeared on the UPN sitcom The Parkers alongside Mo’Nique and Countess Vaughn, and starred in the 2022 television film Rent & Go.
In 2023, he produced the stand-up special Knockout Kings of Comedy.
The Southaven Police Department disclosed that an investigation into his death is ongoing.
Headline
US Defends New Social Media Vetting For Nigerian Visa Applicants
Published
1 day agoon
August 25, 2025By
Editor
The U.S. Mission in Nigeria on Monday reaffirmed that the safety and security of the United States remain the cornerstone of its visa application and decision-making process.
The US said this following its directive last week that mandates Nigerians to disclose all social media usernames and handles used over the past five years as part of the visa application process.
US Mission said Nigerian visa applicants must provide a comprehensive list of their social media profiles on the DS-160 visa application form, and warned that omitting the information could lead to visa denials.
READ ALSO:US Ambassador To Paris Slams Macron Over Rising Antisemitism
Reacting to the development, the Federal Government said US citizens intending to visit Nigeria will be subjected to the same measures.
“The best we can do is to carry out reciprocal action. Some people from the US might want to apply for a visa, and we will adopt the same measures,” spokesman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kimiebi Ebienfa, said last Monday.
However, in a statement released Monday on X, the US Mission said prospective visa applicants undergo careful vetting to maintain a safe and welcoming environment in the US.
READ ALSO:US Suspends Work Visas For Nigerian, Foreign Truck Drivers
It said, “The safety and security of the United States is at the heart of every #USVisa application and decision process.
“That’s why prospective applicants undergo careful screening to ensure a safe and welcoming environment for all.”
The Mission added, “These measures help protect American citizens and communities while supporting secure and responsible travel.”
- Edo Hospital Denies Complexity In Death Of Twin Babies
- OPINION: A Voyage To Caligula’s Rome
- Sports Commission Boss Commends Team Edo Athletes For Continental Triumph
- Enabulele Confident Of Team Edo’s Success At 2025 NYG
- PHOTOS: Brazil Welcomes Tinubu With Full Military Honours In Brasília
- Tinubu Signs Direct Flight, Other Agreements With Brazil
- Four Die, Three Injured In Delta Crash
- PDP Zones 2027 Presidential Ticket To South
- NAFDAC Warns Of Fake Postinor-2 In Circulation
- Brazil Names Squad Without Neymar, Vinicius For World Cup Qualifiers [FULL LIST]
Trending
- Metro5 days ago
Customs Seize N905m Rolls Royce, Other Contrabands In Ogun
- News4 days ago
BREAKING: FG, State, Local Governments Share N2.001trn July Revenue
- Metro4 days ago
Village Youths Capture Bandit During Midnight Attack In Benue
- Metro5 days ago
Lagos Skit Maker Hacked To Death By Suspected Cultists
- Metro3 days ago
Edo Govt Demolishes Building Owned by Suspected Cultist
- News5 days ago
Benue Bans Nursery Graduations, Customised Textbooks In Schools
- News4 days ago
BREAKING: Benue Assembly Suspends Four Members For Attempting To Impeach Speaker
- Politics3 days ago
US Desperate To Remove You, Cleric Warns Tinubu
- Entertainment4 days ago
Wizkid Is Married – DJ Tunez Reveals [VIDEO]
- News2 days ago
DSS Issues Warning, Arrests Man For Circulating Fake Recruitment Materials