NEW YORK CITY, USA — In a historic act of restitution, the Museum of Fine Arts (MFA), Boston, has formally returned two treasured works of art looted from the Benin Kingdom during the 1897 British punitive expedition to the Oba of Benin, His Royal Majesty Omo N’Oba Ewuare II.
The handover ceremony took place at the Nigeria House in New York City on Sunday, June 29, 2025, attended by members of the Nigerian diplomatic corps, royal family representatives, museum officials, and members of the Benin community.
“The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston (MFA), today returned two works of art from the Benin Kingdom to His Royal Majesty, Omo N’Oba Ewuare II,” said Karen Frascona, MFA’s Director of Marketing and Communications, in an official statement.
“The works were presented to His Royal Highness Prince Aghatise Erediauwa and H.E. Ambassador Samson Itegboje of the Embassy of Nigeria.”
The two artefacts—whose specific details were not disclosed—are among thousands looted during the violent British invasion of Benin City in 1897.
Their return is part of a growing global movement to repatriate cultural heritage items forcibly removed during colonial rule.
The ceremony was coordinated by Dr Arese Carrington, a member of the MFA’s Board of Advisors, and witnessed by high-ranking officials including H.E. Ambassador Abubakar Jidda, Consul General of Nigeria in New York; Matthew Teitelbaum, Director of the MFA; Pierre Terjanian, Chief of Curatorial Affairs and Conservation; and Victoria Reed, Senior Curator for Provenance.
Also present were members of the Benin community in New York, underscoring the emotional and cultural significance of the event for Nigerians in the diaspora.
Speaking at the ceremony, MFA Director Matthew Teitelbaum acknowledged the colonial origins of the pieces and the institution’s responsibility in addressing historical injustices.
“These two objects are steeped in the painful history of colonial plunder,” Teitelbaum said.
“Their journey from looting to restitution spans more than a century, and today we honour the cultural and historical significance they hold for the people of Benin.”
The handover was conducted in collaboration with the National Commission for Museums and Monuments (NCMM) in Nigeria, which will oversee the safe transport and care of the artefacts until their delivery to the Oba’s palace in Benin City.
Sunday’s return adds to a growing list of successful restitution efforts led by Nigeria’s government and traditional institutions. Over the past decade, several European and American institutions—including Germany’s Humboldt Forum, the Smithsonian Institution in the U.S., and the Horniman Museum in London—have returned Benin bronzes and other cultural items.
