BY Favour Percy-Idubor, Benin
THE Oba of Benin, Omo N’Oba N’Edo Uku Akpolokpolo, Ewuare II, on Monday received two artefacts, a mother hen and a bronze plaque, from the University of Iowa Museum, United States of America.
This was the second time in two months that the monarch had received returned artefacts as he had on May 18 received two artefacts from Germany, which were among those looted from the palace in the 1897 invasion of the Benin Kingdom.
The Oba, while receiving the items in his palace, said former President Muhammadu Buhari made the ownership of artefacts very clear through his gazette before he left office.
He said his forebears started the process but he was able to accomplish the feat when he ascended the throne.
The royal father said the artefacts were not just items but that they had spiritual implications, which mortals could not understand and appealed to the political leaders to help preserve the traditions and customs of the land.
Earlier, Mr. Cory Gundlach, the Curator, African Art of Stanley Museum, Iowa, United States of America, apologised to the Oba of Benin for using the artefacts as teaching materials in the university.
He also apologize on behalf of his other colleagues, who had used the artefacts to teach thousands of students in the United States of America without the consent of the original owner.
He assured the monarch of his determination to ensure that others kept elsewhere were returned to their original abodes.
