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President Bola Tinubu has pledged that the Federal Government will build a befitting museum to house the stolen Benin artefacts returned to the country.
Tinubu made the pledge when he received in audience the Oba of Benin, Omo N’Oba N’Edo Uku Akpolokpolo Ewuare II, and other traditional leaders at the State House on Friday, July 14, 2023.
A statement issued by the Special Adviser on Special Duties, Communications and Strategy, Dele Alake, quoted Tinubu as assuring the monarch of his administration's support to the Benin Royal Council in its effort to establish a museum where the artefacts would be housed.
“It deserves our protection. We are glad to have them back, and we are glad you are happy. They are in protective custody. It is a matter of history, over a hundred years. We will work on the museum,” the statement partly read.
The President, while congratulating the monarch for the retrieval of the artefacts, also vowed to ensure that roads in Edo State are considered in line with a request made by the traditional ruler.
In his words, Oba Ewuare II commended Tinubu for the bold decisions of his administration in its early days in office.
The monarch said, “We’ve predicted that you would hit the ground running and you have done so, even faster than we thought.”
He stressed that the President's policies since coming into power had guaranteed Nigerians renewed hope and set the country on the path of progress and development.
Last year, the Federal Government successfully secured the return of 31 Benin bronzes from three museums in the United States 125 years after they were looted from the kingdom.
The Smithsonian National Museum of Africa returned 29 out of the 31 artefacts; while the National Gallery of Art and the Rhode Island School of Design Museum returned one apiece.