The Oba of Benin, Ewuare II, has commended three U.S. museums for the repatriation of 31 Benin Bronze artefacts stolen by British forces in 1897.

The monarch, represented by his brother, Aghatise Erediauwa, gave the commendation at the Benin Bronze repatriation ceremony in Washington on Tuesday.

Twenty-nine Benin Bronze artefacts were returned by the Smithsonian National Museum of African Art, one from the National Gallery of Art and another from the Rhode Island School of Design Museum.

The traditional ruler said the decision of the Smithsonian was now being imitated by numerous other museums around the world who had continued to hold onto heritage art.

“The accepted narrative is that works which were looted or acquired in ethical ways should be returned to their places of origin,” he said.

According to him, there is no moral or legal basis for persistently retaining cultural property looted during military expeditions or in unequal negotiations.

He said the federal government’s position was that all returned artefacts should be handed over to the head and custodian of the community.

(NAN)