Nigeria's looted treasures return to traditional palace after over 100 years
The return of the two artefacts comes as calls grow in Africa for Western countries to return colonial spoils from their museums and private collections
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Two bronze treasures were returned to a traditional palace in Nigeria, more than a century after they were pillaged by British troops, raising hopes that thousands more artefacts could finally be returned to their ancestral home. Kola Sulaimon / AFP
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In a ceremony accompanied by songs, drums and dancers on Saturday, a bronze cockerel and a king’s bust were given to King Uku Akpolokpolor Ewuare II, one of the traditional rulers in Nigeria. Kola Sulaimon/AFP
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Thousands of Nigeria’s Benin Bronzes, 16th to 18th Century sculptures and art, were pillaged from the palace of the ancient Benin Kingdom and held in museums across the US and Europe. Wikimedia Commons/ Mike Peel
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The two artefacts were handed over to the Nigerian High Commission in October by the University of Aberdeen and Cambridge University’s Jesus College but had yet to return to their ancestral home. Twitter/ @aberdeenuni
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France last year handed back 26 royal treasures to Nigeria’s neighbour Benin, and President Patrice Talon on Saturday officially opened an exhibition of the objects to the public in Cotonou. Christophe Archambault / AFP
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