The Acting American Ambassador and Charge D’Affairs in Nigeria, Mr. David Greene, revealed on Thursday that the United States government has repatriated 63 looted Benin Bronzes to Nigeria between October 2022 and December 2023.
The successful repatriation is a result of the partnership agreement between the US and Nigeria on Bilateral Cultural Property.
Mr. Greene, speaking at the MOU signing ceremony for the Ambassador’s Fund for Cultural Preservation in Abuja, expressed satisfaction with the collaboration, stating, “I am pleased to report that since 2022, the number has grown, and now a total of 63 Benin Bronzes have been successfully repatriated to Nigeria.”
He further explained the purpose of the Ambassador’s Fund for Cultural Preservation Grant, saying, “Recently, we awarded this AFCP grant to the International Council on Monuments and Sites in Nigeria, or ICOMOS-Nigeria. Its purpose is to document, conserve, and improve the cultural heritage of the Sukur UNESCO World Heritage Site in Adamawa State.”
Mr. Greene highlighted the historical context, stating, “The history centers around the US Ambassador’s Fund for Cultural Preservation from which we have provided $1.5 million for 14 projects across 21 states since 2001. We are so proud that with our Nigerian partners, we have been able to preserve culturally significant art, sites, and other heritage items.”
He also shared an example of a previous grant, stating, “In 2020, we awarded the US non-profit organization, CyArk, a $125,000 grant to digitally survey and document the Busanyin Shrine within the Osun-Osogbo Sacred Grove. The effort created a digital record of the shrine to use in planning future projects and preservation initiatives, and at the same time provided training in digital tools and cultural heritage management for local professionals.”
Regarding the Sukur site in Adamawa State, Mr. Greene explained, “Our latest AFCP grant will support ICOMOS-Nigeria and its partners to help preserve Sukur Cultural Heritage through infrastructural enhancements, revival of threatened traditional crafts and documentation, as well as preservation of the Sukur language.”
The Minister of Arts, Culture, and the Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa, the President of ICOMOS-Nigeria, Dr. Mrs. Sogbesan, and other dignitaries joined the US Charge D’Affairs in signing the MoU.
