The Horniman Museum and Gardens in London will consider repatriating its collection of Benin Bronzes to their country of origin.
The Horniman’s collection includes 15 Benin Bronze plaques depicting Obas (kings) and legendary figures, a brass cockerel called an Ebon which would be placed on the altar of a dead Lyoba (queen mother), and a ceremonial paddle called an Ovbevbe used by priests to ward off evil.
Nick Merriman, the chief Executive of the Horniman Museum, says: “The Horniman’s position on any returns, including the future of its collection of objects from Benin City, is laid out in our Restitution and Repatriation Policy, published on our website. The policy sets out a clear procedure for repatriation claims and includes a commitment to sharing information and transparency of process. The Horniman has, at the time of writing (7 April 2021), received no repatriation requests which means that no definitive decision has been reached, nor even yet considered, about repatriation of any object.”
The museum was founded to hold the collection assembled by 19th-century British tea trader Frederick Horniman. Currently, the museum houses 49 works from Benin City (in what is now Nigeria), including 15 Benin Bronze plaques depicting Obas and other legendary figures.
Many of the returned objects are expected to go on display at the Edo Museum of West African Art, a museum at the former palace site in Benin City, which is being designed by architect David Adjaye to incorporate some of the ruins.
Regional U.K. museums have been able to respond more quickly to restitution requests than national institutions like the Victoria & Albert and the British Museum, which are technically prevented from returning objects permanently under British law.