BeninCity N'Imose (OCT-DEC Issue 001)

OCT-DEC 2023/ISSUE 01

BENINCITY N'Imose ART + DESIGN + HERITAGE

BY SUSAN EL DESIGN

MAGAZINE

1st

ARTICLE Infusion of Benin Art in Modern Interior Spaces.

ISSUE

Eterno Hotels

Exploring THE

BINI PLAYING CARDS

10 BEST SELLING SEE

HAND CRAFTED BRASS ART EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW

IDIA AISIEN

Nigerian-American Actress and Global Brand Ambassador Josien Holdings Ltd. Favourite Art Selection

FEATURE A Tour into the Aisien Residence, Benin City.

www.benincitynimose.com

B E N I N

S T A Y

C I T Y

T U N E D

K

ETNI

KNOW YOUR ETHNIC /ˈƐΘNꞮK/ RELATING TO A POPULATION SUBGROUP (WITHIN A LARGER NATIONAL OR CULTURAL GROUP) WITH A COMMON CULTURAL TRADITION.

HERITAGE

S T A Y

T U N E D

OCT-DEC 2023

Table of Contents 06

EDITOR'S NOTE This first issue of Bini City N'Imose Magazine dives into views regarding the return of the looted artifact as well as the propoed place for it final rest. It also features one of our fine performing artist.

08

THE FOLKLORE Readings on ancient stories and myth of old benin

HERITAGE SITE 15 COVER IDIA AISIEN'S ART SELECTION

BRASS MARKET OF IGUN STREET Exploring the present state of a community of brass casting.

18

BOOKS Reading on history, heritage and other affairs.

OLD MEETS NEW 19

INFUSE OF BENIN ART IN MODERN INTERIOR SPACES Incorporating heritage art in contemporary interior design in the hospitality industry.

BENINCITY N'IMOSE MAGAZINE

22

ARCHITECTURE, DESIGN OR ART? The horizontal line motifs; a reccuring pattern of ancient benin houses.

24

THE AISIEN RESIDENCE Appreciating an amazing mansion sited in benin city's GRA,.

FLAIR & CRAFTMANSHIP 31

EXPLORING THE BINI PLAYING CARDS A close look into the design of the bini playing cards

38

A SELECTION OF BRASS ART 10 selected brass arts from the brass market of Igun.

NEWS & VIEWS 40

MEETING WITH IDIA ASIEN An exclusive interview with Ms Idia Aisien.

45

A PLACE FOR BENIN ARTIFACTS Update and views on the looted artifact and its proposed place of rest.

4

OCT-DEC 2023

BENIN CITY N'IMOSE

Contributors DELE OYE WRITER / SUB EDITOR: Dele Oye hold’s a Bachelor’s Degree in Architecture from University of Benin, Benin City. A writer for Architecture Nigeria, published by Nigerian Institute of Architects. A strong interest for traditional architecture and has writen several Afrocentric related articles.

BY SUSAN EL DESIGN

WRITE TO US AT: Elegant Wall Office 1a Akhionbare Street, off Ihama Road, GRA, Benin City, Nigeria.

Post Code 300102 info@susaneldesign.com

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OBIANKE PRECIOUS WRITER / SUB EDITOR: Obianke Precious holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Architecture from Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma. An architecture enthusiast, writes on architectural appreciation, also works in an architecture firm in Benin City.

SOSA OMOROGBE ART ADVISOR: Sosa Omorogbe holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science from Columbia University, New York, a Certificate in Art History and Art Business from Sotheby’s Institute of Art, London. A creative consultant, art dealer and finance professional. Currently heads SABO Art, a Lagosbased art advisory and curatorial firm.

AMAYO OSAKWE PHOTOGRAPHER: Amayo Osakwe holds a Master Degree in Architecture from Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma. An independent designer and project manager. He eventually found a calling in photography, based in Benin City where he shoots for various clients both within and outside Benin City.

CREW FOUNDER & EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Princess Susan Elema SUB EDITORS / WRITERS Dele Oye Obianke Precious BRAND SALES & PROMOTIONS Adesuwa Ehimuan Rishcon Digital Agency ART ADVISOR/CONSULTANT Sosa Omorogbe PHOTOGRAPHY & PICTURE EDITOR Amayo Osakwe Princewill Ohenhen ADVISORY BOARD Maureen Chukwubuikem Blessing Odigie Published quaterly by Susan El Design Limited.

Print and digital formats are available for single issue purchase or subscription via website.

BENIN CITY N'IMOSE is a trade name of Susan El Design Limited.

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BENINCITY N'IMOSE MAGAZINE

5

Yes!

Benin

City

is

beautiful.

This

Ancient

Kingdom is known to have a rich culture and heritage.

Based on the ongoing dialogue and contrasting views amongst the government, monarch and the people of Benin Kingdom on the return of the benin artefacts over the past few years, this issue has put together a journal of discussions, views, and dealing with such arguments.

EDITOR’S NOTE 'The Heritage Heart' 'OBA GHA TO KPERE! - LONG LIVE THE KING!'

Welcome to BINICity N'Imose magazine. It is with great pleasure and honour that I write you this first letter to introduce our first issue. It's a first of its kind filled with a wealth of articles and photos for your perusal. It features amazing buildings dating from ancient to modern times. It also has a selection of Benin art works to look upon. We aim to inform, inspire and entertain our readers with rich photographs and articles inspired by edo heritage. Meeting and interviewing beautiful and talented Idia Asien was a privilege as well as an exciting moment.

Its been a roller coaster putting up this first issue

Princess Susan Elema

and I'm so grateful for its success. Nonetheless,

EDITORIAL DIRECTOR

while we strive towards recurring readers, we look forward to creating a community

of

heritage hearts through an audience for this magazine. We intend to publish only four amazing and evocative issues yearly. I truly hope you enjoy this first issue and you're well informed,

inspired

and

entertained

by

its

content.

Copyright (c) 2023 by Susan El Design Limited.

All rights reserved.

OCT-DEC 2023 / ISSUE 01

SUSAN EL

The folklores of unlettered folk are the 'mystic chords of memory' which keep their histories alive.

Ekhaguosa Asien

A foremost authority on Benin studies

THE FOLKLORE

OCT-DEC 2023

AN ALLEGORICAL TALE

HOW BENIN CITY WAS FOUNDED WRITTEN BY AISIEN EKHAGUOSA, [EDITED]

In ancient times, there lived a man called ERE in a flourishing community. Some of his unkind acquaintances called him Ere n’Iyoha, ‘Ere the debt bondsman’. He got this nickname sometime in his life when he desperately needed a sum of thirty cowrie pieces. This was the currency used in the land in those days.

ERE looked out ro raise this sum of money by borrowing it, so he approached a prominent man in the community known as OWIE, citizen morningtide. Unfortunately, OWIE only had ten pieces of cowries to lend ERE. In return, OWIE requested for ERE’s daily service of free labour until the debt is repaid. ERE agreed to this term and accepted the money.

ERE needed twenty more pieces of cowrie, so he approached another prominent man in the community known as AVAN, citizen noontide. As usual, after pleasantries he requested twenty pieces of cowrie sum. But AVAN could spare only ten pieces and requested that ERE would remain in his service offering free labour until his debt is repaid. He accepted the terms and took the money.

Now, ERE needed only ten pieces of cowrie to make up what he fully needed. He decided to see OTA, citizen eveningtide another respectable man in the community and asked for ten pieces of cowrie. OTA agreed to lend him the money but still under the same term as the others. ERE accepted his term and received the money.

BENINCITY N'IMOSE MAGAZINE

It was the dawn of a new day with no signal of birds. OWIE woke up and opened the front door to his house. He stepped out to the front yard, looked about, squinting into the slight darkness of the predawn hour. He hoped to catch a glimpse of ERE. But he was nowhere to be seen. OWIE grunted with dissatisfaction at ERE’s levity to which he treated his contractual obligations.

OWIE stared again into the dewy morning. He could not see ERE, so he sat on a stool in front of his house in disappointment as he waited for ERE. In a short time, ERE arrived at OWIE’s house and was surprised at him already awake and sitting in front of his house. ERE, happy and thankfully offered morning salutation to OWIE but his response was saddened with irritation, he straightaway scolded ERE. ERE apologised immediately as he was bemused at OWIE’s expression of irritation.

'IYOHA IN OLD BENIN IS A FORM OF LENDER-BORROWER RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN CITIZENS FREELY ENTERED INTO BY PARTIES CONCERNED.' OWIE accepted ERE’s apology as he promised to do better the next day. OWIE took ERE to a parcel of land nearby and instructed him to start clearing the bush in order to use it for farming. ERE prepared and laboured without ceasing until the morning sun moved to midday.

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THE FOLKLORE

ERE took back and checked how far he had covered, he was pleased with himself. It was already early afternoon and he had to meet up with AVAN. He pointed out to OWIE that he had to leave for his next obligation. After much complaint from OWIE, he let him off. ERE picked up his matchet and hurried to AVAN’s house.

AVAN was already waiting, pacing the front of his house and occasionally pausing to look at the fiery sun in anger, he was merciless, looking like the heat of the noonday sun itself. ERE did not expect to experience this heat of anger from his next taskmaster. As ERE arrived, AVAN walked horridly and fiercely towards him, he glowered down at ERE, as he spoke his words came out like the collisions of the pregnant rain and clouds of the weepy skies of the month of june.

“Just how much service do you think you will be able to give me in the time left between now and nightfall? If what happened today is your worth and is a behaviour likely to be repeated, you can hand me back my money!”

ERE composed himself and apologised. AVAN cooled down in a short while and accepted his apology. AVAN, then took him to a patch of bush for him to clear. ERE went on to labour without ceasing until sunset, then AVAN let him go. ERE had not eaten all day, he was exhausted from the labour. He picked up his matchet and made his way to OTA’s house.

OTA sat by the doorway of his house waiting for ERE’s arrival as agreed. As ERE arrived, he horridly fell on his knees to beg for forgiveness as he arrived so late but OTA beckonned ERE up from his knees.

OCT-DEC 2023

“You have come so late to give me my due service. It's already dusk, I doubt if any useful service would be gotten out of you anymore today. I suspect you have not had a meal all day because you look famished.”

Then, OTA called out one of his wives to take ERE for a bath, feed him and bring him back. A while later, ERE came back from freshening up and invigorated by a good meal. He thanked OTA and immediately looked forward to working as assigned. But OTA waived off the service for the day as it was already night.

OTA asked ERE to come back the next day for a proper start of his labour.

This pattern of events on the first day of ERE’s service continued on the other days. OWIE and AVAN will usually wear ERE out with labour during the morning and afternoon hours.

But OTA would receive ERE in the evening, restore his drained self and send him home to rest. Until one evening, OTA did something else as he saw ERE's unrelenting attitude to render his obligations. He took him to a piece of bushy land not far from his house, he asked ERE to prepare the land for a farm.

ERE was delighted to finally be of some service to OTA. He set to work with all will and delightsome approach, the land was brushed, stumped, burnt and cleared. ERE went ahead to report to OTA that his farm was ready. OTA followed him up to the piece of land, he saw that it was thoroughly prepared. OTA was satisfied with his service and gave ERE a surprise.

'IYOHA IS A SLAVE TO NOBODY, HE REGAINS HIS FREEDOM WHENEVER HE PAYS HIS DEBT.'

BENINCITY N'IMOSE MAGAZINE

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THE FOLKLORE

“You obviously put so much effort in preparing this land, but It is for yourself you have been working. It is my gift to you this planting season. Plant whatever crops you like in it, whatever you produce in the farm at the end of the season is all yours”

To further help, OTA presented him with some cobs of maize to plant. The soil was particularly good for maize farming. ERE’s corn farm grew so beautifully and produced just as prodigiously. His maize farm was talked about in the town.

On one of the market days, women from the spirit world visited the markets to make purchases of household needs. At the time of this story, the maize grain was an unknown crop. When these heavenly women beheld the strange crop, they were amazed at it and decided to purchase the whole produce of the farm and introduce the grain into the spirit world. Enquiries about this crop led them to OTA’s house. Each of the women deposited a small bag of cowries as down payment for corn.

They planned to collect the purchased corn the following day on their way back to the nether world. OTA stacked the bag of cowries in one corner of his sitting room and waited for ERE to arrive. ERE, famished and tired as usual, arrived, apologetic at OTA’s house in the evening. OTA invited him inside the house and showed him the stacked bags of cowries.

“ERE, the money is all yours, the heavenly market women deposited it as pre-payment for the maize in your farm when they passed by the morning. They want to buy up all the produce of the farm. They intend to collect the purchase on their way home tomorrow.”

BENINCITY N'IMOSE MAGAZINE

OCT-DEC 2023

ERE slowly processed this information in amazement. He sat down slowly on the floor and gazed at the bags of money in the corner of the room. Only a small fraction of the contents of any one of those bags would be sufficient to restore to him his freedom from his debt. The wealth that was at his possession after he paid up his debt was unimaginable. ERE howled in joy, got on his knees and worshipped with gratitude at OTA’s feet.

He had his bath and meal, then went home to sleep. Before he left for home, he took another look at his miracle maize farm in satisfaction.

The night was abnormally long for ERE as a result of the excitement of waiting for daybreak. He could tell by the difference in their voices, the number of cocks in the neighbourhood which crowed to signal the coming of dawn. At the first light of the day, he was awake. But he had a routine twist, he headed straight for his maize farm with his cutlass to look it over before the arrival of the ethereal market women.

Sadly, what ERE saw in the misty air of the morning was indescribably heart breaking. During the night, a herd of bush pigs had visited the farm, brought down all the corn stalks, ate up all the cobs, and not one was left.

IGHIGBE IS TEN COWRIE PIECES. UGIGHO IS TWENTY COWRIE PIECES.OGBINGHO IS THIRTY COWRIE PIECES.

The extent of this misfortune dawned on ERE. He howled uncontrollably, he walked aggressively to the left and right of this large desolation that was once his maize farm. The nether world women would arrive soon, there was no corn to buy.

ERE’s financial situation would remain unchanged if the stack of money is retrieved. A debt trap prisoner, which had been nearly loosened and walked away free and rich.

ERE decided to track the bush pigs to wherever they might have gone, and have his revenge on them.

10

THE FOLKLORE

He gripped his matchet firmly and followed the trail made by the herd of hogs. All through the morning, he followed the path that took him far in distance from his desolated farm.

In the early hours of the afternoon, the hog trail led to an anthill as tall as a house, nearly as wide. There was a large irregular hole at the base of the anthill through which the bush pigs had disappeared. ERE followed through into the hole and found himself in a dark passageway like a cave. ERE held onto his machete in good grip as he walked along the vast dark depth of the passageway. In a short distance, he turned a corner and suddenly found himself in the spirit world.

ERE’s first encounter in this realm was with his ethereal double, ‘EHI’. It appeared in a flash by ERE’s side. It saw that ERE was taking the wrong turning path which would lead through the anthill stepping into the forbidden territory. This place could only be entered by mortals through the portals of death. ERE’s EHI had to lead him quickly and safely to the pathway which led back to earth, so as to shield him from many dangers of his irregular entries and before any dangerous encounter. ERE’s EHI conversed with him about his unfortunate affairs on earth, it wondered aloud why ERE’s life had gone in the wrong direction from a pre-destined path.

“You had wished for yourself here in this realm, before you were born, a prosperous life on earth. Your wish was approved by the almighty. I was hopeful up here of a happy and comfortable existence. My circumstances here in heaven are a mirroring of your own on earth.”

However, ERE’s EHI was not discouraged. It believed that ERE’s recent enormous labours on earth would not be for naught. His journeying into this realm had brought about an unprecedented encounter between EHI and his alter ego.

BENINCITY N'IMOSE MAGAZINE

OCT-DEC 2023

This was a sign of a long expected change in his fortunes. It guided ERE to a bush path and encouraged him to go along which would lead back to earth. ERE thanked his EHI and moved on through the bush path which led to a farm after some distance.

The farm was an appealing yam farm. It had recently been weeded and it had a healthy deep green foliage on stick supports. The farm was appealingly rich with dark brown soil.

The sight of yellow-like leaves on the tendrils suggested that the tubers were ready to be harvested. The yam farm belonged to the Almighty God, guarded by one of his retainers, reminiscent of a statue in size, armed with a huge scimitar which dazzled in the sun. The caretaker was seated in a recess by the jungle edge of the yam farm. His presence was not noticed by ERE as he moved out from the bush path. ERE had not had anything to eat since the day began and he was not certain how long he would journey back to the world of the living or what other encounters he may have. ERE looked down at the yam heads which had broken through the soil of the mounds, it was attractively ready for harvest.

ĘRINMWIN IS THE SPIRIT WORLD; THE HEAVEN FROM WHERE THIS WORLD IS PEOPLED IN OLD BENIN MYTH.

ERE decided to search for the owner of the yam farm. He walked to the farm hut, but there was no one there, rather it contained some earthen pot wares of water and embers of fire. He walked further by the farm, there was nobody to interact with. He struggled with the decision of taking from the yam farm knowing the consequences of committing an act of taking from a farm which does not belong to him. But the pains of hunger gnawing within his stomach was so severe and he had to eat something quickly. ERE moved toward a yam mound, squatted and began to dig in order to harvest the tuber for food. The farmer would not

11

THE FOLKLORE

forgive this act as he thought to himself. But the loss of one tuber out of a hundred thousand tubers was not as bad at all.

He continued as he scooped out sand around the yam head. It was then that the caretaker of the farm got up, with his sword glinting in the late afternoon sun.

“You there! What are you up to? Digging at the yam mound? You are stealing unharvested yams, and in God’s farm! It is a punishable offence by death!”

ERE was shocked by the unexpected arrival of the man with the sword. He was overwhelmed with humiliation as he was caught in the act of stealing. He looked up with his mouth wide open and the pit of his stomach sank below his knees. He wished to have been anywhere else but here in God Almighty’s farm.

Swiftly he thought about being in OWIE’s or AVAN’s farm struggling with work and hunger rather than to be trapped in this predicament or terror. At this moment, he looked down at the yam mound he was digging. The hole reminded him of holes he once dug as a child with his playmates as they searched and dug for rats. The playback of that scene brought an idea that could be an excuse for his digging. He looked up at the caretaker.

“Greetings! I was not digging at the yam mound to harvest the yam tuber. I am digging for my rat. I was chasing a rat in the big forest when it ran into this farm. It disappeared into this hole as I chased it around here. I must follow it to wherever it leads until I catch it.”

The caretaker gave ERE a cold stare in disbelief. But he allowed ERE to exhaust all excuses. He asked ERE to go ahead with his digging; perhaps he might find the rat. The caretaker waited patiently before he would allot the prescribed punishment for the act of stealing.

BENINCITY N'IMOSE MAGAZINE

OCT-DEC 2023

All this time, ERE’s EHI watched patiently at the whole scenario at the yam farm. His alter ego was in a predicament, so the EHI quickly placed a bush rat close to where ERE was digging for a yam mound. While ERE continued his digging in a confused state thinking of how to handle his situation with the caretaker.

The digging was completed, the mould had been levelled but no rat was seen.

“You shameless thief! You said you chased a rat into this farm. You are also a liar! Now, you have also compounded this behaviour with a waste of my time.”

ERE shamefully stood up and looked up at the caretaker. Just then a rat jumped out from the hole ERE was making and made its way into the bush. ERE’s attention immediately diverted to the rat as it made its way into the jungle. The caretaker was also distracted and tried to swipe the little rodent as it made its way and leaped into the bush. The caretaker regained his composure, surprised beyond belief and relieved beyond words.

ERE looked at him in a manner of injured innocence.

“You see what you have done to me! I was busy with my rat hunt with no one to help me, I was doing quite good. Then you came up to distract and accuse me falsely of a dishonourable intention. Now, I have lost my rat.”

The caretaker listened to ERE attentively this time. He thought there was some justification in his complaint. He decided to compensate ERE for the loss he had caused ERE. The caretaker walked calmly to the edge of the farm. He cut a sapling of a reed called UWENRHIONTAN in the nearby bush. He handed it to ERE and instructed in the power of its use. Whatever ERE wished for aloud using the reed to whip the ground, it shall materialise. The caretaker showed ERE a bush path that led away from the nether land and wished him godspeed.

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THE FOLKLORE

ERE was thankful at the wishes and moved on into the bush path. He kept a tight grip on the reed and his machete. Soon after, he arrived back to the mortal world landing into the UHUNMWUN - IDUNMWUN quarters of the present day Benin City, on the right bank of Ikpoba river. At the time of this story, the area was a deep equatorial rainforest.

On arrival at the forest, ERE walked further towards an IROKO tree and sat underneath it to rest for some time. He began to gather thoughts as he sat down. He doubted the power of the UWENRHIOTAN reed he was given. It was never demonstrated to show him the extent of its power if it really was true, he thought. ERE was more happy and relieved about his miraculous escape. He pondered on how such an unlikely circumstance occurred to bring him deliverance when most needed. ERE’s thoughts wandered further back to his maize farm and the wild hogs which had constituted such misfortune to him. He remembered his debt situation, from which he almost broke free from. He remembered OWIE with his harsh tongue, impatience and rigidity of determination to hold ERE to the spirit of his bond. He also thought about AVAN with his raging temperament and insatiable demands. ERE flinched in pain at these thoughts. But when he remembered OTA, his face lightened up, then suddenly lumped in emotions and misty eyes. He ached with a wish to make good not to himself but so he could be in command of resources to show appreciation to the grand old man OTA. ERE lifted the UWENRHIOTAN reed and declared.

“I wish this jungle is cleared of its bush, so that it can be an open space, fit for a town. I wish the town would appear in this large space, fit for a king”

OCT-DEC 2023

It was a beautiful town with wide streets in a regular geometrical arrangement. The houses were arranged in rows with a clear distance from the roads. Benin City was born. It had a large number of inhabitants and livestock. ERE became the first ruler of the town.

Many months passed. Rumours of this new town spread far and wide in the district. ERE’s creditors, OWIE, AVAN and OTA also heard these rumours. They had already given up on ERE, thinking he was dead as he did not return from the hog chase he was known to have undertaken. They had already ruled off the money which he owed as a bad debt.

The rumour grew intensely, as it hinted that ERE, was the ruler of the new rich town. The gentlemen decided individually to find out whether there was any truth in what they had heard. OWIE was the first to embark on this journey.

He arrived in the new town and was impressed by its clear prosperity. He asked to see its ruler. ERE was informed about the visitor at his gates, and word was brought to him that the visitor’s name was OWIE. ERE decided that he would see him, but he made his courtiers understand that the visitor was in no way to be treated as an honoured and welcomed guest. He was to receive no gestures which would make him comfortable while waiting. ERE deliberately dressed up without hurry. Meanwhile his courtiers kept OWIE in the outermost courtyard, refusing to invite him into a hall, and merely providing him with only a bench for a seat.

Finally, ERE emerged and invited the visitor into the first IKUN, the outermost reception hall of the Palace. The host and the guest bantered for a little while, then ERE ordered ten cowrie pieces to be procured. He presented to OWIE as full repayment for the debt he owed, and a dissolution of the IYOHA contract which bound him to his guest.

OWIE arrived home and narrated all that he had

ERE smote the ground with the reed. first at his declaration to clear an open space, second at his declaration to create a town fit for a king.

BENINCITY N'IMOSE MAGAZINE

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THE FOLKLORE

seen and heard to friends and neighbours. He described the magnificence of the new town in glowing terms, and confirmed that it was indeed ERE who was the ruler of the community. He added that the debt owed him had been discharged in full, displaying the ten cowrie pieces as proof.

AVAN decided to make his own journey to EVBO ERE; Ere’s town. The reception which he got there was identical to that which OWIE had received. The only difference was that ERE wasted far more time with his dressing up before he honoured his guest with his presence, heightening AVAN's sense of unwelcomeness. AVAN also got his money repaid in full.

Now that OWIE and AVAN had confirmed the identification of the ‘Ere n’Iyoha’ and his transformed circumstances, OTA decided to pay his young friend a visit. When ERE was told that OTA was at his gates he ordered livestock to be slaughtered for a feast, and sent dancing troupes into the outer courtyards to entertain his guest while he dressed up in clothing fit for the occasion.

ERE came out in magnificence to meet his friend and benefactor. They embraced in a tender and prolonged manner, with ERE crying softly on OTA’s shoulder. The elderly man patted his iyoha gently on the back, with an indulgent smile.

Then they moved apart, and ERE led his guest through courtyard after courtyard, each filled with dancers and thanksgiving singers, until they arrived in ERE’s living quarters built around the seventh courtyard. Here, both of them relaxed in luxurious comfort, and fed on the delicacies of the land.

OTA questioned how ERE had accomplished this quick advancement from a situation of a thirty-cowries debt serfdom to a status of a wealthy ruler of men and resources, ERE replied:

Uw’ igodomigodo eri la se emwan na: “I traversed tortuous and extremely complex pathways to get to where I am now.”

BENINCITY N'IMOSE MAGAZINE

OCT-DEC 2023

So EVBO-ERE; Ere’s town became known as ‘IGODOMIGODO’. At the end of OTA’s visit, ERE formally repaid the ‘ighigbe’ which he owed the old man. Thereafter, he ordered that bags of money be brought out, double the number of bags which the heavenly market women had deposited with the old man as prepayment for ERE's farm produce.

He handed over as a present to OTA, and instructed some retainers to escort the old man home with his new wealth.

Years later when OTA died, ERE created a shrine for his worship in his own inner chambers, where he had received the old man as a guest. The shrine consisted of three little earthenware pots, arranged in a straight line, and buried to their necks in the floor of the ante-chamber to the bedroom.

The wide mouths of the pots were open to the ceiling. The OTA shrine, which represented a deity of the evening of life, was propitiated whenever the oracle advised. In old Benin, persons who were eligible to erect and possess this shrine known as ‘ARUOTA’, in their houses were those who had attained the age-grade of an Elder; ‘odion’ in their community. During worship at the OTA shrine, an incantation is frequently used:

OTAMERE: “It was eventide which brought life’s fulfilment to ERE.” ERE was the first king of Benin called Igodomigodo as the town was then known. ERE gave birth to UWERIRE who reigned after him. Uwerire’s son EKPEGHO who ruled after his father and gave birth to UWUORHIA who was the father of the first OGISO.

THE END!

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HERITAGE SITE

OCT-DEC 2023

BRASS MARKET OF IGUN STREET EXPLORING THE PRESENT STATE OF A COMMUNITY OF BRONZE CASTERS

The ancient Benin kingdom is historically known for its highly sophisticated artefacts. The most popular of these artefacts are bronze casted and ivory carved sculptural pieces that reflect the cultural identity of the Benin people.

Bronze sculpted pieces in particular - many of which had found their way into museums across Europe- are crafted by a designated sect of the Benin brass casting guild, ‘Igun Eronmwon’. And where is a better place to explore these amazing sculptural pieces if not in the heart of the Igun Community?

Here’s this ancestral home of the Igun Eronmwon - lies within the enclave of Benin City. Situated along Sakponba road, the community is a trekking distance from the Oba's Palace, King's Square and other major landmarks. Thus, visitors will have little to no trouble locating the UNESCO listed heritage site.

A visit to the Igun community was not my first, but this time my attention was drawn to the present state of affairs at the brass market. I began my exploration from the approach end of the street where an archway at the entrance welcomed me with the epigraph - Home of Guild of Benin Bronze Casters: World Heritage Site.

BENINCITY N'IMOSE MAGAZINE

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HERITAGE SITE

My eyesight landed on 3 to 4 feet tall sculptural pieces laid rhythmically out in front of a shop to my right as I walked into the street. Wares in shops adjacent to this one were arrayed in similar fashion such that each collection appeared to gradually recede until my line of sight was broken by a car parked in front of a shop at the far end. To my left, brass plaques celebrated the porch of a shop sitting next to Ameosa Motor park. The shop beside it was enlivened with bronze and silver plated reliefs and the one after that had red beads of varying sizes and shapes hanging down its burglary. The shops and their displayed collections followed one another in succession. The sequence was interrupted by a building engraved with white horizontal line - a decorative pattern reserved for Benin chiefs.

I walked into the shop with the sculptural pieces that first caught my attention. Within the building space, more appealing pieces were placed at strategic corners to attract potential customers. The shop owner - who quickly positioned himself behind some of his wares- smiled at me knowing the arrangements had had a charming effect as intended. We exchanged pleasantries and when I inquired about the trade, the man who simply identified himself as Osas replied,

"Bronze has been associated with the Igun Community right from the days of our ancestors. Initially, the crafts my people (Igun Eronmwon) made were only meant for the Oba's palace. But as time went by, we were permitted to craft for chief and later for the general Benin people. Today we sell our crafts to interested clients in Nigeria and even outside the country"

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True to Osas words, the once stringent laws governing the Bronze casting trade have become flexible. For instance, men previously had exclusive right to the trade but that changed when Princess Elizabeth Olowu -the daughter of Oba Akenzua II- became the first female bronze caster paving the way for women interested in the trade.

"This trade sustained my lineage for generations but in recent years, it has become less profitable" He commented when asked about the current economic state of the trade.

"People are leaving the trade for more profitable ventures. My children are not even interested in the craft. Though, I can't really blame them. Sometimes they stay in the shop for a whole day without selling one naira" said another shop owner -who chose to remain anonymous- corroborating Osas' claim.

As He resumed cleaning the Queen Idia Plague he was fixated on when I approached his shop, I briefly scanned the interior and noticed the space where many artefacts have once been was now empty.

An array of local shops.

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"For some time, I have been selling my wares for half their original prices. I haven even gifted some to families and friends. If the situation continues like this, I may close my shop and fully commit myself to the other business I manage aside this one."

The plight and concern of the Bronze casters I interviewed began to make sense to me after a walk further down the once busy street. At both sides of the street shops that have once been stuff to the brim were stripped to the bone. A number of the shops were closed - some temporarily, others permanently. Few others yet were being turned into restaurant, hair salon, electronic store and other multipurpose stores, an approach which seems to be embraced by shop owners who are increasingly leaving the bronze trade for other viable business enterprises. Worse still, a couple of new multi storey residential buildings have sprung up in sites where bronze casting shops have once been, altogether uprooting the identity of the occupants. The current gentrification may appeal individuals who are not privy to the culture rich history of Igun street, but to those who are familiar with its bronze casting wares, it indicates the slow demise of the once celebrated street, the gradual fading of the guild of bronze casters into irrelevance and the possible lost of their bronze casting identity and skills to the sand of time.

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Perhaps this is where the role of the proposed Edo Museum of West African Art (EMOWAA) comes into play in the renaissance of Igun Bronze Casting trade. The proposed museum -an initiative of the Edo State Government in collaboration with the Benin traditional stool- is touted to house returned artefacts taken from the ancient city after the 1897 raid. When sited in close proximity to the Igun community, the museum has the potential to attract an influx of local and foreign tourists who may throng the street once more to get their hands on displayed ware as personal souvenirs. The bronze casters of the Igun community dream of this point in time. They desire it. They demand it.

View of a local brass shop

It is even more pitiable when one compares the present state of Igun Street to its golden year of 1977 when the community's popularity peaked. The Festival of Black Arts and Culture (FESTAC) ushered in tourists who thronged the street to get their share of its displayed wares. But ever since the security condition of the country had taken a new turn, tourism had gone downhill and now the situation is dire.

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HERITAGE SITE

OCT-DEC 2023

BOOKS EXPLORING A 1995 BOOK WITH AN INFORMATIVE HISTORY OF BENIN CITY

It tells the story of Benin City, her development, and her historical relationships with the adjoining ethnic groups in Nigeria. It also describes Benin City’s spatial configuration.

Plus an allegorical tale about the Founding of the City.

Published in 1995, this book gives a whole lot of background information of the benin kingdom in a few pages. It can be purchased from several sources and at various prices. Such as; https://ekhaguosaaisien.com/ shipping within USA only, Ken Jones book shop, mission road, Benin City, Email BENINCITY N’IMOSE magazine for inquiry.

BOSTON ATLANTIC CHEMICAL LTD Boston Paints, 26 Jemide street, GRA, Benin City, Edo State. www.bostonpaintnetwork.com.ng BENINCITY N'IMOSE MAGAZINE

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OCT-DEC 2023

THE ETERNO HOTELS

INFUSION OF BENIN ART IN MODERN INTERIOR SPACES SIMPLY GIVING OFF A ROYAL VIBE TO WELCOME ITS GUESTS, AT THE POINT OF ARRIVAL TO RESERVATION TO DEPARTURE, THE ETERNO HOTELS SURE CELEBRATED THE ESSENCE OF BENIN ART INFUSED TO CREATE A MEMORABLE WELCOME EXPERIENCE FOR ITS GUESTS.

Hospitality business in Benin city has scaled higher, making it a more competitive industry. Be it high end hotels, boutique hotels, serviced apartments, restaurants and lounges, both old and new hoteliers have a major goal in mind which is return on investment.

In this competitive era, the most successful ones understand that a great first impression is key. So in a sea of competition, sometimes it's even about what people remember most or what entices them to visit again. How can hoteliers create a memorable experience from the moment guests arrive to the second they depart?

Art and culture in a city like Benin is a critical piece of the puzzle and most successful hospitality brands here understand that, and it is thoughtfully integrated with design, architecture, and operations to create an unforgettable guest experience.

The Eterno Hotels harnessed the power of benin art in its decor to create a unique brand and guest experience. Its collection of art displayed at various points reflects the brand values as well as the owner's personality.

As a design consultant, I understand that artworks can be indicators of a brand vision and Eterno Hotels shows just that extensively. Beginning from the main entrance doors, it welcomes its guests with symbols of royalty, ‘the ada and ebe’, opening into a foyer with a calming sound from a water fountain wall. It’s quite a beautiful sight to behold. This impressive foyer further leads to the main hotel lobby with expansive interior space and a mixed selection of heritage, contemporary and photo artworks strategically displayed to create an ambience of cultural mix. ‘South meets west’ here.

These symbols are also engraved on the glass door leading to the pool area.

Above Left: A view of Chief Ogiamen house.

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Top: A view of the hotel lobby Middle Left: Brass display on wood cladded background Below Left: 3 dimentional murals on perimeter wall

The choice of Benin art works displayed at the receptionist’s wood cladded background vividly catches one's attention. This was more than just decorations, individual pieces such as heads of kings, queen mother, idia mask exudes a royal welcome of the benin heritage. It also tells a story of a benin king and queen mother in different formations. So each time a guest passes by this common zone, they are likely to reflect on these glittering stories of heritage showcased which surely would give a lasting impression.

Another intriguing corner is on the perimeter wall by the main entrance door, an inviting three dimensional mural of ethnic activities. It's quite a beautiful view especially for culture enthusiasts on staycation or vacation, and a great space for selfies. You might think that people won’t choose a hotel based solely on what is on the walls.

However, it is possible to make your guest experience a memorable and meaningful stay by including art into the experience which could result in quality reviews and word of mouth referrals. Art might not be a major selling point for hotels, it can help define the hotel’s identity as well as its competitive advantage when it is well integrated.

Eterno hotels infused benin art extensively into its brand identity in interesting ways to give its guests a memorable experience of our heritage. It's truly something to talk about.

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ARCHITECTURE, DESIGN OR ART? HORIZONTAL LINE MOTIFS

RECURRING PATTERN OF ANCIENT BENIN HOUSES AS EXPLORED BY DELE OYE

Horizontal lines are common symbolic elements in many societies around the world. In African indigenous communities, they are often used as design motifs in textiles, potteries, sculptures and buildings to project the identity of the people. Ancient Benin civilization employed the use of lines in day-to-day activities to promote their socio-cultural, socio-religious and socio-political ideals.

To promote socio-cultural ideals, lines are incorporated into bead making, cloth dying and weaving, wood and bronze carvings, dancing rhythm and to some extent, farming patterns. To promote socio-religious ideals, lines are used to relay messages from gods to the people. They also graphically represents mythical pattern such as Olokun symbol and other mysterious phenomenons. To promote socio political ideals, they make distinction between the Oba, the chiefs and the general populace.

Above Left: A view of Chief Ogiamen house.

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Within the context of Benin architecture, horizontal lines play a major role in differentiating the two popular housing typologies - the chief's house and the commoner's house. The walls of the chief houses are usually decorated with linear horizontal flutings engraved at intervals. The flutings traditionally called Eken Agben- are painted with white coats made from the mixture of chalk, lime and other locally made resins. The alternating contrast between the white coated lines and the brown background color of the wall creates an aesthetically pleasing effect that reminds passersby of the esteemed status of the owner.

An ideal building typology featuring the horizontal line motif is Chief Ogiamen House, located in the heart of Benin along Sakponba Road, it holds the reputation as the oldest building in Edo State - dating as far back as the Ogisos' period- and as An ideal building typology featuring the horizontal line motif is Chief Ogiamen House, located in the heart of Benin along Sakponba Road, it holds the reputation as the oldest building in Edo State - dating as far back as the Ogisos' period- and as

Above Right: A view of Chief Obasogie house.

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such was designated UNESCO Heritage Site in 1977. As you walk towards the house from any direction, you will notice a sign post welcoming you with the inscription, 'Chief Ogiamen House'. Behind the signpost lies an age-old building with an overhanging corrugated roof which tells you of the layers of renovations it has gone through over the years. Chief Obasogie House is another building typology where the horizontal line design pattern can be readily observed. Also located along Sakponba Road, the building lies opposite Igun Street such that its approach view directly faces the entrance of the UNESCO listed heritage site. In this case, the building's horizontal line motif reminds you of the prestige of the heroic warrior, Chief Obasogie, who gallantly fought the British soldiers during the punitive expedition of 1897.

One other building that boldly celebrates the horizontal line motifs is situated within the popular Igun Street. As you move away from the entrance archway with the epigraph - Home of Guild of Benin Bronze Casters: World Heritage Site - into the heart of the heritage site, you will notice rows of shops with alluring bronze casted wares lining up both sides of the street.

After a walk past a few of the shops, a building that appears to disrupt their rhythmic flow looms ahead at your left. The building's facade features prominent colonnades beautified with stripes of white horizontal flutings that alternates the background brown color. This design motif also runs along the entire length of the building's outer walls just as observed in other chief houses, thus, subtly disclosing to you the exalted position of the head of the guild of bronze casters, the Igun Eronmwon.

Aside from the aforementioned, there are other prominent buildings within Benin that share similar recurring motifs such as Chief Oshodin House, Chief Iyamu House, Chief Obaseki House, Chief Ishekuye House to name a few. The horizontal line

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beyond the aesthetic value they add to the building facade, are integral part of the structural makeup of the ancient Benin political system. Thus, the lines are not just a mere form of art but an art of representing the political strata of Benin civilization with a simple graphical form understandable to the average person within and outside the society. This way, the minimal approach to design not only projects and portrays the sophisticated work of arts of the ancient Benin kingdom in the simplest way possible but also reveals and reflects the simple way of life of the people.

Middle Right: A view of the Head of Guild of Bronze Caster's house.

Although the engraved flutings are being gradually replaced with plain white paintings of modern Benin, the message they convey to visitors still remains the same. Therefore, the next time you visit Edo state, take a tour around the ancient city and look out for horizontal lines motifs in buildings, for they tell you that within the core of Benin sophisticated culture lies simplicity.

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THE AISIEN RESIDENCE A luxury family mansion owned by Late Chief Joe Aisien Ogbebor sure did cut a chunk size from Benin City’s government reservation area also little-known as Evbo-Elema quarters.

Plushly sited in a serene environment exhilarating as the cool morning breeze is this impressive edifice as written by Precious Obianke.

Visual art at its finest, well mowed lawns, iconic gate house, guest chalet, outdoor sitting area with water feature – however you slice it, this family home is undoubtedly delectable. There are quite some reverie added conviction conversely laudable than that of most luxury homes. When envisaging large houses, the Aisien residence instantly hits your

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senses, those fancy homes you’d anticipate to view on reality TV shows or on vacations, the ones we cannot stop having utopia for, intimately graceful. Similar to the English countryside manor house of a charming aristocratic host in the movie “the invitation” before the film thrusts into a nightmare of horror and survival.

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Above: View of an expanse of greenery. Below Left: Main Entrance. Below Right: Guest Chalet. Below Left: Entrance Porch.

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Unfurling a magnificent masterpiece of an abode style that accents a plush building design, influenced from a timeless Western blueprint, at the Aisien residence you will discover a rare flair of combination for skilfulness and artistic know how, architects and artificers working hand in hand to develop one of the most exceptional building for a grand patron in Benin City. The most creative process from the layout arrangement to the individual interior spaces speaks great volume.

The impressive mansion, owned by Chief Dr. Joe Aisien Ogbebor (late) would pass for an ‘Igiogbe’ as the benin would call it and it occupies over 6000 square metres of land sited in a serene neighbourhood of Benin City's GRA (Government Reservation Area). The building is harmonised with a calm view of greenery in its expansive size. It boasts of ample space both inside and outside. The mansion is meticulously designed to showcase exquisite architectural details and high-end finishes. The olive mosaic green exterior walls complement the appealing nature of the environment around this home. The serenity of this location is an added appeal as the GRA is typically known for its tranquil ambiance, wide roads, and well-planned infrastructures. Living in this prestigious area provides residents with a sense of exclusivity and security.

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stainless steel wash basin sits on a glass top with a wooden frame rests against a matching a wooden framed mirror.

Opposite the dining area is the stairway that precedes the underground spaces beautifully occupied with luxurious furniture, art pieces of various types and sizes, cherry bomb pendant lighting, and custom paradise chandeliers hanging down from the ceiling. For folks who clamour for high quality in customised interior designs and furnishing, this mansion concocts unlimited achievability, exceptional medium of floor tiles, wall tiles, paints, wood works, sculpture, carvings, lamps, water closet accessories, flower vases, and a lot more flexible spaces a rich home shelter could grant.

Interiors of the mansion offers a lavish living experience with spacious and well-appointed rooms, featuring elegant decor and modern amenities. From the grand foyer to the luxurious four living rooms and a dining room, every aspect of the Aisien residence exudes opulence and comfort. You could tell the interior designer opted for a modern royal to classic style for the livings rooms, two large dining sets made of high quality wooden frame, tempered glass top and a marbled table top serves the dining hall, a pretty round shaped

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In absence of a tour guide, another aspect of discovery that caught the eye was the underground arena. It spans about 6 metres by 12 metres with a height of over 3 metres, this part of the house is well lit with transom windows throwing in natural light and ventilation. This area is beautified with elegant furniture, a special traditional handcrafted arm chair, red coloured decorated wool upholstery with the chair rails painted glossy white. On the top rail are standing white horns facing each other and the carving of a decorated chief in between the horns. This handcrafted masterpiece on a raised platform with the name of the house owner engraved on it. Facing this open ball room as I like to call it is a bar area to service the arena and the meeting room, a staircase which is directly opposite the bar. The walls and ceiling of the private meeting room is embellished with wood cladding, the stairway leading to the underground area is also in wood cladding. Another eye-catching piece was a set of handcrafted drums sitting in the spacious area by the washroom. The ‘Emighan’ is a powerful tonal drum of the Benins usually played in sets of various sizes by hands or sticks, used for

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Top Left: Second Living Room. Middle Left: Underground Arena. Below Left: Underground Private Living room. Right: First Living Room.

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performances in festivals and several other events. And of course the presence of a life size brass statue of an Oba right in the corner of a living room couldn't have been ignored.

In agreement to an unwavering obligation to environmental awareness, the Aisien Mansion correlates graciously with the encompassing scenery while adopting sustainable ideas in all facets of its construction and performance. The residence exhibits a precise preference for drought

tolerant plants, befitting a tropical climate region, effectively providing water and nutrient consumption all year round.

Sustainable elements and materials not only boosts the home's aesthetics, it also reduces the effect of ecological impact. More so the Aisien Mansion provides an influential paradigm for dependable developments to spring up, contributing an outstanding interflow of contemporary design and a keen link with the natural world that truly reflects a genuine appreciation for the environment.

Main Entrance Gate, View from within the compound.

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FLAIR & CRAFTMANSHIP

OCT-DEC 2023

EXPLORING THE BINI PLAYING CARDS

Specially prepared and inspired by Benin Court Art which were created in the absence of photography to document important events. A modern design marked with distinguishing heritage motifs kindling the card players' curiosity of the edo history.

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When I first heard about the Bini Playing Cards about a few years ago, I was amazed by the idea of infusion of heritage on a basic deck of cards. Each deck features custom court cards and pip cards. It pays homage to the Ancient Kingdom of Benin and its classical works of art. Be it for games, education or divination, playing with these cards would give more depth in meaning to a person of edo origin as it brings fragments of history to a regular modern activity which can initiate a sense of curiosity towards edo culture and heritage. The brain behind this innovative remodeling; Osaze Amadasun, is a top class graphic mastermind of edo origin and should be honoured as such. He recreated it to resonate with his home and lineage.

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Before appreciating each design, let's take a quick look into the origin of the Benin Playing Cards. It was first created in 2018 with the first print production run executed in Lagos, Nigeria. Subsequently, an exhibition titled ‘Benin Stolen History’ (Benin Geraubte Geschichte) was held in 2021 at the Museum Rothenbaum - Kulturen ünd Kunste der Welt (MARKK), Hamburg, Germany. Another exhibition titled ‘RESIST - The art of resistance’ (Die Kunst des Widerstands) was also held at Rautenstrauch-Joest-Museum, Köln, Germany, in 2021.

The English and German versions of the playing cards are currently available for purchase only at the MARKK museum shop in Hamburg, Germany. It is currently sold at 22 euros.

Otherwise, contact BENINCITY N’IMOSE Magazine via email to source this product.

The standard 52-card deck is maintained and its four original suits of thirteen cards are preserved. However, the graphical representation of all 'Aces' from individual suits is simply replaced by iconic illustrations from ancient benin art. The illustration of the three court cards; Jack, Queen and King, equivalent to 11, 12, 13 cards are also replaced from the basic French monarch to that of the Benin Kingdom. Images from the court jester and joker cards were also replaced.

The tuck case and back of each card were not left out in portraying elegant heritage patterns. All six sides of the pack including the inner folds are infused with graphical representation of Benin art and craft. The case is mainly designed after the commemorative head (Uhumwelao) which serves the purpose of honouring one's predecessor. In benin art, emphasis and honour is given to the head. It is believed to be a seat of any power. Head symbol is frequently used in benin art, ranging from commemorative heads placed on ancestral altars to honour one's predecessors, to the brass and ivory heads of significant humans and animals featuring as part of certain ceremonial regalia. Modernized ancient motifs of edo history and culture such as the benin leopard, weave pattern and knight’s shield are marked behind individual cards, and accompanied by a short text on the inspiration behind the playing cards written in both English and Bini languages.

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FLAIR & CRAFTMANSHIP

OCT-DEC 2023

A close view of the tuck case showing significant heritage patterns.

As illustrated, the Ace as well as the Court cards carry the main characters of infused Benin heritage. In game, the Aces count highest, even outranking the king.

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Ace of Diamond, the number one on its suit is marked 'A'. This single red diamond represents wealth and abundance in a cartomancy reading. It is a sign of good fortune when pulled.

It also represents new opportunities.

In the benin playing cards, this symbol of diamond is replaced with a stylized version of the Portuguese head. The Portuguese have been a prominent character in benin art.

They symbolize the Oba's wealth and power and are easily identified by their prominent aquitaine nose, long hair and European dress. They contributed to the growth of the economy through trades hence boosting the brass casting in benin. They also served as mercenaries in the benin army in times of war. In old Benin myth, these characters are also linked with the god of the seas.

Ace of Club, the number one in its suit is marked 'A'. This three-leaf clover with a stalk is particularly a lucky card. It mostly represents prosperity and abundance. The Ace of club also represents new opportunities. It is seen as a harbinger of good fortune.

In the benin playing cards, this symbol is replaced with a stylized version of the river leaf called 'Ebe - Amęn’. A majority of the brass plaques carry these quatrefoils motifs on the background, creating complex textures. This Ebe-Amęn is believed to be linked to the god of the waters in old Benin myth.

A view of tuck case along with the commerative head.

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FLAIR & CRAFTMANSHIP

OCT-DEC 2023

Ace of Heart, number one on its suits is marked 'A'. It is also known as the 'ace of love', usually associated with emotional stability, unconditional love and new beginnings.

In the bini playing cards, this symbol of heart is replaced with a stylized version of mudfish called 'Ehen'. In old Benin myth, mudfish are potent symbols of kingship. They also embody prosperity, signify those who cross from human to supernatural world, and characterize the control of dangerous forces. They can be found in benin coastal waters and they can crawl short distances on land. The electric mudfish is a particular sub species with an ability to shock. It is associated with both water King and earth King. In the benin art corpus, Mudfish is represented singly or intertwined.

Ace of Spade, the number one on its suits is marked as 'A'.

This black spear head shaped illustration on the card gives it the name 'death card'. This doom status is traced back in history and it's well established in superstitious hearts and minds of the world. It also corresponds to the suit of leaves in German card playing. Traditionally, it is the highest and most valued card in the deck of playing cards. While being associated with imminent death, bad fortune, disaster, hatred, war, and even the end of the world in some cultures.They also symbolize power, luck and triumph. It is a special card that can be used to win games as it has an additional value over any other card except a joker card.

In the benin playing cards, this symbol of Spade is replaced with a stylized version of 'Ębęn, the ceremonial sword. It is a symbol of authority carried by an Oba, alongside the 'Ada', a curved efficient looking blade. He salutes his ancestors with the Ębęn sword in a solemn and dignified dance. Titled Benin chiefs are also given this sword to symbolize their ranks.

However, a skillful throwing and catching of the Ębęn before the Oba raises their status as a chief.

A view of the tuck case at different angles.

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Court Cards are also called face cards with reversible images of a King, Queen, Jack or Knight. There are usually 4 court cards in a suit while sixteen court cards in a deck of cards.

Meanwhile, illustrations on the Bini Playing Cards are replaced with faces of an 'Oba', the Benin King, 'Iyoba', the Queen Mother and 'Ezomo', the War Chief, each wearing their respective beaded crown and head gear. The background is designed with animal symbols such as the benin leopard, mudfish and serpent, as well as ceremonial sword, three-leaf clover motif, rattle staff and knight’s shield depicting edo history and heritage.

In addition, a standard deck usually contains two or more jokers cards depicting a traditional court jester, in the case of the Benin Playing Cards, it carries an image of a titled chief lifting a bird similar to the African Ibis or kingfisher. This illustration commemorates the victory of Oba Esigie over the Igala army and the bird of prophecy also called 'AhianmwenOro' in old benin folktale. The joker card has text written to this event.

'OBA GHA TO KPERE! - LONG LIVE THE KING!'

"NO GHA YIN AGBON E DAMWEN EHO AHIANMWEN N'UKIOYA" "WHOEVER WISHES TO SUCCEED IN LIFE SHOULD NOT HEED THE BIRD THAT CRIES DISASTER"

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The Art of Benin are specially designed with ancient sophistication, craftsmanship and a heritage heart.

Susan El Design

Interior Architecture and Design Consultant

FLAIR & CRAFTMANSHIP

OCT-DEC 2023

10SELECTIONS BEST SELLING

Shop the collection of Handcrafted Brass Arts

QUEEN MOTHER IDIA 13 inches brass head.

N50,000 $65

QUEEN MOTHER IDEN

N60,000 $78

13 inches brass head on wooden base.

KING BUST OBA ESIGIE

N50,000 $65

11 inches brass bust on wooden base.

Brass Buying Tips by Sosa Omorogbe

KING ON THRONE OBA OVORHAMEN

N80,000 $104

12 inches brass cast on brass base

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Specifically on brass art, the most important thing is knowing the history, where these pieces are coming from so one can bet on the standard. With buying brass art from benin you are buying a piece of our history and culture. So for authentication, I would suggest one buys particularly from Igun street. Not anywhere else. It's a way of supporting those families and supporting the history of Benin. For quality, look out for definition, be sure there are no marks, look out for perfection on the pieces. These are important tips as there are loads of different types you can get right now.

Another thing with buying brass art from Benin and Igun street in particular is that each of the pieces have their own unique story and unique history behind them.

Perhaps when choosing a piece it would be good to do a research on what exactly that piece is. If you're buying the 15 inch Oba Akenzua piece, know a bit more about Oba Akenzua. Is that the right piece for you? It's not just art, these are rare, sacred and reviewed in specific context. So it's quite interesting and important to know.

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“EVERY HANDCRAFTED ART HAS A STORY IT TELLS. CRAFTED BY HANDS THAT HOLD A DNA TRACED TO AN ANCESTRY OF BRASS GUILD. A HEART THAT HOLDS ON TO ITS HERITAGE”.

LEOPARD 9 inches brass cast.

QUEEN MOTHER 10 inches brass bust.

N60,000 $78

N60,000 $78

FESTAC MASK

N40,000 $52

ADA AND EBE

14.5 inches brass mask on brass base.

23/28 inches brass set.

KING BUST N60,000 OBA EWUARE THE GREAT $78

EMOTAN Miniature 7 inches brass.

N100,000 $129

N20,000 $26

12 inches brass bust

Dollar prices are subject to rate at point of purchase. Prices excludes postage and packing costs. Email BENINCITY N’IMOSE Magazine for inquiry.

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COVER

OCT-DEC 2023

the world is still in awe of the benin art made mostly of bronze and ivory

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW

IDIA AISIEN Meet our very own talent, a performing art warrior, stylesavvy edo woman. A reminiscent of modern-day Queen Idia, thriving, inspiring and building an elite brand for herself. Her name ‘Idia’ seems to have an impact on her personality. She talks to us about her background, heritage and how her childhood experience of edo culture had enhanced her strength, interests and priorities.

Idia Aisien has come a long way in pursuit of her dreams.

Growing up in Benin City and from a native bini family was an insightful learning experience. Coming from a family of business moguls and philanthropists, this apple didn't fall too far from the tree. She had always loved being in the limelight.

She holds a seat as a global brand ambassador for Josien Holdings Limited; a family owned business into importation of assorted drinks.

BENINCITY N'IMOSE MAGAZINE

She starred in a popular Netflix movie, ‘Nneka the pretty serpent’ released on 18th December, 2020. She also recently starred in ‘Twin Flame’ an international feature film shot across Lagos, Nigeria and Oakland, California, United States. Before she bagged the name ‘TV girl’, her resume runs from prestigious journalism companies, fashion brands, advert campaigns to philanthropic ventures. Thereafter, ‘The Idia Project’ was born, a philanthropic platform for reaching out to the less privileged while still working as an elite influencer. She is listed among The Most Influential People of African Descent (MIPAD) in 2023, a global top 100 under 40 years of age who have distinguished themselves in politics, business, media, culture, activism, and humanitarian endeavours.

The moment I looked through her page on instagram, I knew I wanted her to be on our first issue. She's a pure model of an image I wanted to get across to young women of our generation. How can one not warm to someone who has made so much effort irrespective of family affluence, to become successful in her own right.

Of course, when I finally did chat with her, she wasn't at all a self-involved poodle of lore. She was rather polite, warm and welcoming. I genuinely like and admire her works as well as ambience. She goes for what she wants and works hard at it.

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I'm also really inspired by how benin people love their culture and are so proud of who they are - this has really given me a strong sense of self

Did you grow up in Benin City? Do share your childhood experiences in Benin.

I am from a proud Benin family. Though I never lived or schooled in Benin, my father made it mandatory for the whole family to visit at least once a year. My fondest memories of going home to Edo State include; visiting my grandmother, and also attending yearly ceremonies focused on remembering my grandfather, who had passed away long before I was born.

How have your family traditions impacted you?

I have learned the utmost importance of family, and I'm also really inspired by how Benin people love their culture and are so proud of who they are - this has really given me a strong sense of self.

Has your heritage as an origin of Edo State impacted your life’s beliefs, interests and priorities?

I think everyone from Edo State has been influenced or impacted based on our history or cultural beliefs in some way or another. For instance, I believe very strongly in showing people respect, especially towards my elders. I would also like to use my platform to tell more stories about the Edo people’s culture, art and history.

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OCT-DEC 2023

The mask of Queen Idia has always held a special place in my heart.

Please share objectives of the Idia Project.

The IDIA Project was birthed by the need to change the African narrative by telling stories of groups, individuals or foreign and local governments making a difference despite the odds. This would not only encourage more growth, but also highlight the positive solutions being provided to tackle issues we face in the continent by growing the positive focus on the Africa, highlighting investment opportunities, encouraging public trust in the government by showing progress made in various sectors, attract investors, partners and high-calibre talent, celebrate businesses and individuals as well as showcase strong corporate governance and risk management.

How can people get involved with your organisation?

I would encourage people to follow @theidiaproject on instagram or send us an email if they would like to partner, donate or volunteer.

Are there any other causes, organisation you are involved with?

Yes, I partner with various organisations that support women, education, poverty eradication and empowerment in society. I also sit on the board of BEGA (Bridging the Education Gap in African), which focuses on missing links in the educational system or curriculum.

What is the goal you and your organisation is working towards?

We currently have a strong social media presence that highlights the amazing work Africans are putting out, and we are working towards a partnership for a docu-series and talk show - it has been a lot of work and a long time coming.

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The footprints we leave behind will teach our children to have pride in who they are and where they come from

Are there unique Benin arts that resonate with you?

The mask of Queen Idia has always held a special place in my heart. This is a woman whose legacy has transcended time and her story still moves me so powerfully and inspires me.

What is your opinion on our culture as Benin people?

I believe benin culture is the most global and most appropriated culture. Everyone admires and wants to wear our traditional wedding attire. And the world is still in awe of the Benin art made mostly of bronze and ivory from the Kingdom of the Edo Empire - that's why they still wont give it back to us.

Kindly leave words of inspiration for young Edo women of our generation.

The most important thing is to be proud of who you are, and where you come from. Edo people, art, history and culture is unique, so please do not water down who you are to fit into society or the status quo. The footprints we leave behind will teach our children to have pride in who they are and where they come from.

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OCT-DEC 2023

A PLACE FOR THE BENIN ARTEFACTS Based on the ongoing matter about the return of the long withheld heritage treasures at various museums and institutions around the world, a summary of news so far is put together here from sources. Arguments, dialogues and contrasting views amongst westerners, authorities, the monarch, the government, and the public are put together to highlight various high points, base points, thoughts and direction of progress so far.

Over the years, issues and deliberations on the looted Benin artefact have dragged on. Thankfully, major progress has been made with respect to decisions on restitution, location for a final place of rest, and commencement of a secured shelter for the long awaited return of the looted Benin artefacts. Let's have a review of the roller coaster deliberations before this present position.

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About 17 years ago, I asked my Architecture course mates, "if you were given a brief to design and build a national shrine for Nigeria would you accept the project as a Christian?"

A logical question it may have been but a majority of them agreed to take the project perhaps because of the fame and money involved.

Surprisingly, that exact project came up this year 2021 and it was given to a British Ghanaian architect to design and build. Our artefacts that were looted from Benin Kingdom to Britain in 1897 have been offered to be returned back to its original location where they were looted by the British and they also offered to fund the building of a befitting place.

All that story aside, here are my observations.

An alien without roots from the ancestral land is to design and build a national shrine to house these artefacts. Some of which may still possess some ancient spirits. Where are our benin architects? Don't they have a better understanding of the concept of our heritage?

In addition to my thoughts, whether it is called a museum, place, house, or shrine. ‘Sacred house, is sacred house’ and traditionalists will still pay homage.

-Anonymous thought.

It was an intense night trance. Treasures stored in the open trunk of a van, hidden in a dark cave. Walked towards the wide open trunk of the van deep in the cave. Noticed a complimentary card with graphics that signified the government house. Picked up the card, and took a close look, it immediately opened a portal into another realm. I could see through the card, shadows of a family lineage all in black. Suddenly, the number 1879 appeared vividly…

Who would have thought that a year later, the news of the return of the Benin artefacts would emerge intensely?

-The seer.

A beautifully carved piece of wood may be a repository of spiritual meaning; a personal spirit as well as ancestors and guardian angels. It may also be an African deity.

Much of these African arts also represent documents sitting behind glazed barriers at various museums in the world. These objects are religious, spiritual and sacred. African art lives in history and history lives in African art. We cannot be dismissive of a history because we are uncomfortable with it.

-Excerpt from a speech by Chimanda Adichie.

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OCT-DEC 2023

Peju Layiwola's Concerns A seminar study by Peju Layiwola dealt with the question of the cultural memory of a people whose development has been brutally interrupted and their cultural objects seized by a foreign invader. Peju’s mother, Princess Elisabeth Olowu is a wellknown artist. She was born in the Palace of the Oba in Benin City during the reign of Oba Akenzua II who’s her maternal grandfather. Peju’s concern was why some people are less concerned or even indifferent about restitution of the looted artefacts. She pointed out that; The British seized more than 3000 artefacts from Benin during their nefarious invasion in 1879.

This date and the invasion has remained memorable for the people of Benin, Nigeria and the continent of Africa.

Arguments were based on the location and the security of the looted cultural objects which is linked to alleged corruption prevalent in african countries such as Nigeria and the western determination to hold on to these looted artefacts for these reasons. She, however, proposed in the face of the strong resolve that: Urgent examination in order to establish clearly what benefits accrue from existing corporation agreements and arrangements between African museums and Western museums and whether the agreements respond to the needs of the African public as opposed to those of the western public.

The need for African government to make efforts to stem the depletion of cultural heritage by ratification of major conventions on culture such as UNESCO convention on the means of prohibiting and preventing the illicit import, export and transfer of ownership of cultural property, adopted in Paris, 14 November 1970 and the UNIDROIT on stolen or illegally exported cultural objects, adopted in Rome 24 June 1995.

African states should finally establish Inventories of their national heritage such as those artefacts looted in the colonial period and those recently stolen.

African states should issue clear policy statements outlining their position regarding objects stolen in the colonial period and recent loot.

African states should finally lodge formal requests for restitution of the looted/stolen artefacts.

African states should finally proceed to taking legal actions in individual western countries and making use of other processes of negotiation such as UNESCO intergovernmental committee. Although, it was discouraging that Nigeria for instance had not submitted the case of the Benin Bronzes to this committee.

The laws and regulations regarding the cultural artefacts and their exportation should be reviewed and strengthened.

The general public in the African states should be fully informed about activities and actions on restitution in which national and other public institutions are involved.

Coordination of plans and exchange of information should be to the benefit of both the African and international levels.

Attention should be given to public opinion in the various western states as their people do not support the negative position taken against restitution.

Excerpt from: Would Western Museums Return Looted Objects If Nigeria And Other African States Were Ruled By Angels?

Okpoku K. (2009, August 18). ‘Would western museums return looted objects If Nigeria and other African states were ruled by angels? Restitution and corruption’. Modern Ghana.

Retrieved from; https://www.modernghana.com/news/233465/wouldwestern-museums-return-looted-objects-if-nigeria-and-o.html

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Alter group, Oba Akenzua I, Benin, Nigeria.

Now in Ethnologisches Museum, Berlin, Germany.

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HEARTED BY AFRICANS. WHO BELIEVES IN MIRACLES? EMMANUEL MACRON’S SOLID CONTRIBUTION It is observed over the years that both European and African intelligent persons have stated that the fight to recover Africa’s looted artefacts from the West was hopeless and that precious time and energy should not be wasted on what’s considered impossible. On the contrary, Emmanuel Macron, the young President of France, ’la Grande Nation,’ declared that African artefacts must be returned to Africa and that it was a matter of priority for him. He made the declaration in front of some 800 students in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, on 28 November 2017. This is seen as a consolation especially to those who believe in miracles.

Before now, Neil MacGregor, James Cuno, Phillipe de Montebello, the scholars from Ethnology Museum, Berlin, Ethnology Museum, Vienna, presently World Museum, and officials from the Humboldt Forum have been telling us for years that African cultural artefacts are best kept in Western museums. The high priests of the so-called universal museums, with their infamous Declaration on the Importance and Value of Universal Museums (2000) convinced themselves and others that the West had almost a God-given right and duty to keep looted and stolen African artefacts for the benefit of Africans and humanity. Therefore, fighting to recover what our predecessors have created is necessary, especially as Westerners are quick to argue that Africans have created nothing worthwhile but at the same time highjack our cultural artefacts.

Considering the contrary views that have been expressed in the last decades, it's exciting that some Westerners, including even a Western president, believe that African artefacts should be seen not only ‘in Paris but also in Dakar, in Lagos, in Cotonou’.

I cannot accept that a large part of cultural heritage from several African countries is in France. There are historical explanations for that, but there are no valid justifications that are durable and unconditional. African heritage can’t just be in European private collections and museums. African heritage must be highlighted in Paris, but also in Dakar, in Lagos, in Cotonou. In the next five years, I want the conditions to be met for the temporary or permanent restitution of African heritage to Africa. This will be one of my priorities.

-Emmanuel Macron, the young President of France

Excerpt from: Macron Promises To Return African Artefacts In French Museums: A New Era In African-European Relationships Or A Mirage?

Okpoku K. (2017, December 10). ‘Macron Promises To Return African Artefacts In French Museums: A New Era In African-European Relationships Or A Mirage?’. Modern Ghana.

Retrieved from; https://www.modernghana.com/news/821779/macronpromises-to-return-african-artefacts-in-french-museum.html

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OCT-DEC 2023

Trophy Head, Benin, Nigeria.

Now in the Palais des Sessions, Paris, France.

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ARCHITECT DAVID ADJAYE TO DESIGN THE NEW MUSEUM IN BENIN CITY The architect has presented his vision for a new Museum that would reunite Africa’s treasures.

Architect David Adjaye is a renowned British Architect. He designed the National Museum of African American History and Culture, critically acclaimed by Smithsonian; a national museum and institution founded in Washington, DC. He was commissioned to undertake a feasibility study for the new Benin Royal Museum in Nigeria.

The Edo State government commissioned Adjaye Associates and its partner in Nigeria, Agram Architects, to undertake the feasibility study for the new museum proposed as a major step in restoration of the treasures such as the Benin bronzes looted by the British army in the 19th century.

Adjaye was born in Tanzania to Ghanaian parents, so the subject of the lost Benin treasures is dear to his heart. At a meeting with the Benin Dialogue Group composed of representatives from museums in Germany, the Netherland, Austria, Nigeria, and the UK, Adjaye was invited to share ideas on the new museum. His experience and interest in Benin culture and heritage, both personally and professionally, shows his dedication to supporting the effort of the group. He outlined his vision at the meeting accordingly.

Excerpt from: Architect David Adjaye Has Been Tapped to Design a New Museum for Benin’s Looted Treasures Pes J. (2019, September 11). ‘Architect David Adjaye Has Been Tapped to Design a New Museum for Benin’s Looted Treasures’ Artnet News.

Retrieved from; https://news.artnet.com/art-world/david-adjaye-beninmuseum-1647619

BENINCITY N'IMOSE MAGAZINE

...the museum would “reunite” the most significant of Benin’s historical artefacts, currently housed in various institutions around the world.

-The Benin Dialogue Group

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ENOUGH OF THE TALKING!

It was during the reign of oba Ovonramwen that the British troops invaded and stole the Benin artefacts. Over 100 years later, his grandson Prince Edun made an official plea for the return of the looted artefacts during a BBC TV show. Prince Edun Akenzua is an uncle to the present Oba Ewuare II, and a veteran campaigner. He made a petition for restitution in 2000 to the British Parliament which has become known as Appendix 21.

In response, Bristol Museum officials were prepared to work with the Prince on the issue of restoration. Jon Finch, the head of culture at Bristol City Council, runs the museum. He mentioned that when the museum took over the commemorative head, they did not know that it had been stolen. The sculpture had been used to educate thousands of children about other cultures.

Prince Edun was approached for further discussion and collaboration after the Sarr-Savoy report which recommended restitution of looted African artefacts.

Afterwards, Jesus College, Cambridge, decided to return the cockerel sculpture.

We are appealing to Bristol Museum to blaze the trail for the international community or private holders of the Benin cultural property to get them returned.

Prince Edun Akenzua.

A noble and Consistent Campaigner for Restitution.

-Prince Edun BENINCITY N'IMOSE MAGAZINE

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A discussion with the prince is no real progress according to Dr. Kwame. For someone that runs a museum and works with authority over a museum not to have knowledge of the finest Benin artefacts that it holds is more than discouraging. He also implied that the children would be deprived of education in other cultures if the object were to be returned. Dr. Kwame questioned that; Have they read the information provided by their own museum on this sculpture?

Have they not heard about or read the Sarr-Savoy report that shook many Western museum officials by its recommendation on restitution of looted Africa artefacts?

Have they missed all the discussions and articles concerning Benin artefacts that have been published in the last few months?

Is the Bristol museum aware that thousands of children in Benin City and Nigeria have not had the chance to learn about their own cultural objects stolen 100 years ago?

What about other African children and their parents who do not have the privilege of seeing any Benin artefacts in their museums?

Do they matter at all? It makes you wonder what kind of education children in Bristol may be getting when museum officials are not aware that they are dealing with stolen objects.

Do Western museum officials realise that countries such as Ghana,Togo and Cameroon, Nigeria’s neighbours, do not have Benin artefacts that most Western museums have?

Do Africans not need to know about Nigerian culture as much as the British, Germans, French,and Dutch who hold large numbers of looted artefacts?

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Contrary to the view shown, Benin artefacts are concentrated in Western museums and institutions, more than any other museum and they are not willing to restore these pieces.

Obviously, this is sheer greed and selfishness reigning as their principles.

The Bristol Museum working with the Benin Dialogue Group (BDG) does not really improve matters. Surprisingly, Macron had shamed them,[BDG], so a loan is a face-saving way to avoid parting with possession. It is also an insulting and unacceptable way.

Humboldt Forum / Ethnological Museum is holding 580 Benin artefacts,why can they not restore 100 to Benin from where they were stolen?

Do Germans participate in Benin traditional culture to require so many Benin artefacts?

Are they required for teaching their children about Benin culture?

The British museum holds 700 pieces but is only willing to lend a few to Benin and still retain ownership. The venerable museum does not want to make the successors of Oba Ovonramwen or any Benin/Nigerian person or institution owners of the looted Benin artefacts.

The owners of the loaned looted objects would still be in Bloomsbury and not in Benin City. Nigerians will be the only ones who practise their culture with artefacts borrowed or loaned from Western museums.

Could future generations even be sure they are capable of manufacturing artefacts for their own cultural activities since they would seem to have borrowed Benin artefacts from their former colonial masters and their allies?

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Matt Neale Commemorative Head of an Oba, Benin, Nigeria.

Now in Bristol, United Kingdom.

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To fall under the spell of an object,to be touched by it,moved emotionally by a piece of art in a museum,brought to tears of joy,to admire its forms of ingenuity,to like the artwork’s colours,to take a photo of it,to let oneself be transformed by it: all these experiences-which are also forms of access to knowledge – cannot be reserved to the inheritors of an asymmetrical history,to the benefactors of an excess of privilege and mobility.

-Felwine Sarr- and Bénédicte Savoy.

Cultural heritage constitutes an inalienable part of a people's sense of self and of community, functioning as a link between the past, the present and the future; it is essential to sensitise the public about this issue and especially the younger generation.

-Athens Conference on the Return of Cultural Objects,1958

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Dr Kwame urges the people of Nigeria and Africa to reject insulting offers and pressure the Western nations continuously until they are finally prepared to restore some of the estimated 3500 Benin artefacts. No argument was presented as to why Benin/Nigeria would be better served by a loan rather than full restitution of the artefacts. This seemed to be selfishness, greed, and racist arrogance in Western museum circles.

Benin heroines and heroes must return home after detention and exile for 123 years. The Benin Dialogue Group cannot sell renewed bondage as liberation to Africa and its people. We are in a more sophisticated generation than the previous that made it easier for imperialism to take over. Also, we have the benefit of hindsight of 500 years of history, the intentions and methods of our past colonial masters are well known.

Excerpt from: Talking About Benin Artefacts Is Not Enough: Return The Looted Treasures!

Okpoku K. (2020, April 5). ‘Talking About Benin Artefacts Is Not Enough: Return The Looted Treasures!’ Modern Ghana.

Retrieved from; https://www.modernghana.com/news/993750/talkingabout-benin-artefacts-is-not-enough-retur.html

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IS RETURNING THE ARTEFACTS ESSENTIAL? The French President, Emmanuel Macron recommended the large-scale restitution of African heritage from French public collections back to their places of origin. But no major progress occurred after three years of this leading statement.

In spite of all that, the French parliament passed a law to return 26 looted royal artefacts to Benin and a sword that belonged to an anti-colonial fighter to Senegal. Ninety thousand objects from sub-Saharan Africa remained in France.

British Museum and national institutions, Victoria and Albert Museum had talks with the Nigerian and Ethiopian authorities to return looted objects, but only on the basis of long-term loans. The British Museum announced its partnership with the future Edo Museum of West African Art in Benin City, slated as the world's "most comprehensive display" of the longcontested Benin Bronzes. However, key African museums, art centres and cultural leaders are not relenting on the permanent returns to the continent.

The prospect of receiving restituted works are welcomed but Africans are more preoccupied with promoting local artistic production and circulating “living” treasures which continue to have ritual functions and significance in their territories.

An emerging batch of young African institutions are moving away from the Western model of museums. They seek new ways to display works that engage with the communities which created them. Hence, the restored looted artefacts would not necessarily end up in glass cases to be admired by visitors in art capitals such as Dakar, Accra or Lomé.

“African cultural heritage can no longer remain a prisoner of European museums” -Emmanuel Macron.

BENINCITY N'IMOSE MAGAZINE

Top Left: Images of personal objects contributed internationally by over200 people for the Lagos Photo festival.

Courtesy of Lagos photo festival.

In Europe, [the revolution] feels like some sort of crisis but here it feels like a renewal…

I hope [Western museums] will engage with this topic with some measure of transparency, honesty and respect.

-Nana Oforiatta-Ayim, an art historian. speaker on Open Restitution Africa.

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When people say 89% of African artefacts are outside the continent, it is not true. We have artefacts to concentrate on here. We cannot reduce the history of Africa to the history of colonisation because that was one century and a half, and we have seven million years that came before to cover...

Black civilisations are always evolving and continue to produce. We can always reproduce what is being held in the Western world...

Restitution is important but it is not essential...

How can we reappropriate our culture and define ourselves outside of the prism of Western borders?

-Hamady Bocoum, Director of Daker Museum.

What we are leaving today is the classical patrimony of tomorrow, The works created today need to be in Africa, exhibited here, collected here.

-Sonia Lawson

A state-funded arts centre - Togo’s Palais de Lomé - opened in November 2019 with the exhibition ‘Togo of the Kings’, tells the history of pre-colonial spiritual, political and royal power structures with artefacts sourced exclusively from local chiefs and kings. Sonia Lawson, the centre’s director said the exhibits were not presented as relics of the past, but rather objects “alive with energy and meaning”.

It happened that a community had lent a sceptre to the show temporarily recalled it for their end-of-year ritual ceremonies in 2019. When it returned to display it had been bathed in alcohol and other liquids as part of the ceremonies.

Unfortunately, in a Western museum, that is not feasible.

In Nigeria, an online edition of the Lagos Photo Festival in December, 2020 titled Rapid Response Restitution, was organised by the curators Azu Nwagbogu, Clémentine Deliss and Oluwatoyin Sogbesan to foster a richer understanding of African heritage. Over 200 people internationally contributed to the festival’s Home Museum. It was a digital exhibition of personal objects that tells stories about our culture and history in ways we don’t always recognise. In addition, ‘Open Restitution Africa’ is a webinar series foregrounding African perspectives on the restitution debate, which has been largely dominated by European voices on the defensive.

Museum stakeholders view the issue of African restitution efforts, as one part of a bigger picture of cultural revival.

Bocoum’s museum aims to mount exhibitions that explore African contributions to global civilisations and the origins of Abrahamic religions in Africa. These are unfamiliar narratives to many Africans today.

Bocoum and Lawson are advocates for greater circulation of traditional artefacts and cultural knowledge within Africa, also of contemporary African art. So the continent’s treasures are not continuously seen through a foreigner's gaze.

Excerpt from: 'Restitution is important but it is not essential': the African museums building a homegrown cultural revival Rotinwa A. (2020, November 27). ‘Restitution is important but it is not essential: the African museums building a homegrown cultural revival’ The Art Newspaper.

Retrieved from; https://www.theartnewspaper.com/2020/11/27/restitutionis-important-but-it-is-not-essential-the-african-museums-building-ahomegrown-cultural-revival

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OCT-DEC 2023

'BENIN NO BE CAPETOWN’ ADJAYE’S PLANS FOR NEW EDO MUSEUM

The famous looted Benin bronzes have become a major focus of international debates on cultural heritage, colonialism and restitution. As a result, The Benin Dialogue Group with a consortium of European, Nigerian and UK museums, members of the Benin Royal Court, and representatives of the Edo State government was set up by the British Museum. The main aim was to build the new museum, enabling a permanent display of Benin works of art. Significant collections of works currently in UK and European museums, as well as objects in Nigeria are included.

A $4 million archaeology project was proposed to investigate the remains buried below the proposed museum's site before construction begins. The dig was slated as ‘the most extensive archeological excavation ever undertaken in Benin City’. Local archaeologists and researchers are collaborating with British counterparts on this project and this will offer valuable learning experience.

the proposed Edo Museum of West African Art (EMOWAA) will ‘decouple from the Western museum model [and] perform as a reteaching tool.

-David Adjaye, British-Ghanaian Architect and 2021 Royal Gold Medal Winner.

The concept of the new museum will incorporate the surviving remains of the historic city’s fortified walls, moats and gates. Evidence of historic buildings during excavation is set to be kept in its original discovered position as part of the tour experience. This unveiled design aims to create a fitting home for the return of Benin’s treasures. David Adjaye clarified that the Museum would contain historic artefacts, and display contemporary art. Not a perception of western museums.

Top: Edo Museum of West African Art. A View of Main Entrance and Courtyard Garden BENINCITY N'IMOSE MAGAZINE

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this archaeology project will be actively engaging with wider debates concerning Benin cultural heritage and the representation of Benin’s history’ and aims to ‘create new opportunities to address the significant history of the Kingdom of Benin but also [its] painful history of the invasion and destruction -Adjaye Associates.

Adjaye is aware that Benin City is not Cape Town or Marrakech. So he focused on ordinary people and proposed the city centre location, close to the Oba’s palace, for the local people who did retain their ancient bronze casting tradition for centuries. So far, Adjaye’s practice produced a structure of red earth, only three storeys high. A view into the courtyard is shaded with a landscape of palm trees. Its horizontal display and peaceful courtyard is similar to the city and palace walls, and it gently attracts the local people. Also, the landscape to the side appears as the local untrimmed vegetation. The taller galleries are separated, and some animation made to the elevation. One of them is designed to replicate building frontage and roof with the iconic Benin turret engraved snake head.

The red earth is carried through the interiors as the dominant finish within the galleries containing heritage works. These works will be re-creations of building facades providing a glance of architecture from the ancient Kingdom of Benin.

Similar to the traditional shrines still existing in some Benin homes, sacred objects displayed by the recreated architecture fragments will reflect actual practice.

At the Edo Museum, Adjaye succeeded in creating light airy spaces and the contemporary galleries are designed with the usual white walls. It marks a transition from old to new, an adoption of the usual colour scheme of museums. Although much is still left unsaid, he has succeeded in producing a design that sits well within its context. However, its long term success will be the number of locals who are amazed and excited to have a tour of it on multiple occasions.

Excerpt from: Adjaye reveals Nigerian museum plans and opens door for return of looted treasures.

A View of a Royal Spire Pavelium.

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Waite R. (2020, November 16). ‘Adjaye reveals Nigerian museum plans and opens door for return of looted treasures’ Architect’s Journal.

Retrieved from; https://www.architectsjournal.co.uk/news/adjaye-revealsnigerian-museum-plans-and-opens-door-for-return-of-looted-benintreasures

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THE QUEEN'S CONSENT A repeated old scare story about the royal family confuses necessary and enlightened reform with iconoclasm. Dan Hicks, a professor of contemporary archaeology at the University of Oxford and author of ‘The British Museums: the Benin Bronzes, Colonial Violence and Cultural Restitution’ expressed that there's been a seismic shift in what museumgoers are demanding of the institutions they love. Today people want to know where the culture they consume comes from, how it got here, and whether anybody is asking for it back. While in Germany, there are even campaigns for museum archives to be published online, so museum audiences can research the facts of colonial pillage for themselves. The public are increasingly demanding transparency about theft.

Hicks’ questioning on transparency comes into focus with news that during the process of royal vetting of laws known as Queen’s consent it was disclosed that Her Majesty’s private estates were exempted from the 2017 Cultural Property (Armed Conflicts) Act. This new law is hardly controversial. It represents the UK’s ratification of the 1954 Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict and its protocols, more than half a century after they were adopted by Unesco. Due diligence and transparency is of course an ethical responsibility, then there’s the question of the Royal Collections. However, the idea of police searching the Queen’s private estates at Balmoral and Sandringham for stolen goods may seem unlikely.

The royal family has a history of acquiring looted objects, so its exemption from a law protecting cultural heritage raises questions

In the case of Nigeria, the pair of carved ivory leopards with their spots rendered in copper, was presented to Queen Victoria in 1897 by Admiral Sir Harry Rawson after he infamously sacked and looted Benin City, in 1897, removing the Oba (king) Ovonramwen Nogbaisi and sending him into exile.

Queen Victoria went so far as to have a purpose-built exhibit made for such objects stolen in violent dethronement of rival monarchs. The Grand Vestibule displays are still there today while the royal collections continue to grow.

The public deserves to know when cultural property is derived from theft and that what's likely to be at stake here is how we define sovereignty in the third decade of the 21st century. In the colonial era, British royal power commemorated dispossession as a source of its legitimacy. In today’s very different world cultural legitimacy requires that stealing is neither triumphantly displayed nor hidden away or covered up – but made visible so that people can judge for themselves. So Hicks suggested that the British public and the world deserve openness when it comes to questions of theft.

Excerpt from: If the Queen has nothing to hide, she should tell us what artefacts she owns.

Hicks D. (2021, March 31). ‘If the Queen has nothing to hide, she should tell us what artefacts she owns’. The Guardian.

Retrieved from: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2021/mar/31/queen-artefactsroyal-family-looted-law-cultural-heritage

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A pair of carved, stylized, ivory leopards, with spots of inlaid copper.

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PRESSURE

ON BRITISH MUSEUM The Benin Empire in 1897 was burned down and looted by a force of 1,200 men from the Royal Marines, Royal Navy and Niger Coast Protectorate Forces. These troops from Britain invaded its capital and seized 2,500 artworks from the city.

Later on, many of these artworks were sold at auction in order to pay for the expedition.

About 440 bronze sculptures are currently held at the Ethological Museum in Berlin. However, Andreas Gorgen, from the foreign ministry of cultural department in Germany, travelled to Nigeria to discuss the return of Benin artefacts.

This news increased pressure on the British Museum in London and Pitt Rivers Museum in Oxford to do the same.

Nigerian academics called out the British museum to follow the Ethnological Museum’s example and send the artefacts back. A new museum to house the sculptures has been designed by David Adjaye, a British-Ghanaian architect. The British Museum also faced calls to return the Elgin Marbles back to Athens. The Marbles were acquired by Lord Elgin, a Scottish aristocrat.

Excerpt from: The British Museum hits back as pressure builds to follow Germany and return historic relics.

Bickerton J. (2021, May 24). ‘British Museum hits back as pressure builds to follow Germany and return historic relics’ Daily Express.

Retrieved from; https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/1414468/Archaeologynews-British-Museum-Benin-Pitt-Rivers-Museums-London-Boris-Johnsonv

London’s British Museum currently holds the world’s biggest collection.

-Daily Express The devastation and plunder wreaked upon Benin City during the British military expedition in 1897 is fully acknowledged by the museum and the circumstances around the acquisition of Benin objects explained in gallery panels and on the museum’s website...

We believe the strength of the British Museum collection resides in its breadth and depth, allowing millions of visitors an understanding of the cultures of the world and how they interconnect over time – whether through trade, migration, conquest, or peaceful exchange.

-A spokesperson for the British Museum.

If Germany follows through with these plans, then any European country that holds on to Benin bronzes no longer has a moral ground to stand on...

The time has come for the British Museum to finally join in this debate...

The current situation is a bit like a thief who has stolen your watch and sold it to a pawn shop, but the pawn shop is refusing to hand it over to the police. It makes no sense...

-Victor Ehikhamenor, Head of Nigeria’s Legacy Restoration Trust.

For Greece, the British Museum does not have legitimate ownership or possession of the Sculptures.

-Lina Mendoni, Greek Culture Minister.

Below: Angle View of Brass Plaques at The British Museum.

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WHO OWNS THE BENIN BRONZES? Benin Kings and Rituals-Court Arts from Nigeria was a magnificent exhibition that toured Vienna, Paris, Berlin and Chicago. Curated by Barbara Plankensteiner, it explored in detail the court art and the history of Benin.

The descendants of those who looted the Benin treasures would be the first to admit that the artefacts were stolen from the Palace of Oba Ovonramwen in the then Benin Kingdom. As for the ownership status, who does not know that Benin is the true owner?

Not until recently, the question of ownership was completely unreasonable. There is no doubt that the treasures belonged to the Oba of Benin, as his ancestors had owned them before the civilisation of the Benin people was brutally cut short.

During the planned invasion at least 3000 to 5000 artefacts were looted, the people and city was absolutely ruined. Yet no compensation has so far been paid by the United Kingdom for the desolation of the Benin Kingdom, and no one seems to be concerned. ‘Do Black Lives Matter?’

We have had enough of these meetings which only end as academic exercise.

-Prince Edun Agharese Akenzua, Enogie of Obazuwa.

Benin kings imported large quantities of copper and bronze in various forms from Europe that were then used by its court artists to create outstanding commemorative heads....

-Sylvester Ogbechie, In Making History: African Collections and the Canon of African Art. Can anyone with the knowledge of the colonial violence unleashed on Benin, its monarchy and its people with the attendant plundering of thousands of Benin artefacts from the palace of the king contest ownership with His royal Majesty? The Oba of Benin is the custodian of Benin art and these looted objects are clearly his heirloom. The Oba must therefore be a key figure in any discussions regarding the return of Benin cultural treasures. In addition, the property rights of these objects must remain with him. The Oba had always held the objects in trust for his people. He instituted and catered for the guilds that produced these treasures.

Below: Metal vessel, Benin, Nigeria.

Now in Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation, Berlin, Germany.

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-Peju Layiwola, great grand daughter of Oba Akenzua II 63

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The many art forms created over centuries by the carvers and metal workers for the royal court of the Benin Kingdom still resonate in Benin City; many of the rituals, forms of regalia and commemorative ancestral practices continue to function today in much the same way as in the illustrious times of Benin’s powerful predecessors.

-The great Ekpo Eyo The Government of the Edo State and the Governor have always acted transparently and in consonance with existing Federal and State laws in all matters relating to the proposed return of the artefacts and the monuments.

The Governor will continue to display immense respect for our traditional institutions and therefore will continue to make effort to secure a private audience with His Royal Majesty

Over hundred years later, the plunderers and their accomplices declared that the artefacts belonged to them and were best kept in the universal museums of the Western world. They paid no attention to plead for restitution, until 2017 a young French president, Emmanuel Macron made a surprising statement that revealed how unjustifiable to keep so many African artefacts, of which mostly looted, depriving Africans of exhibiting the origin of their glorious culture.

As the hassle went on, France decided to return 26 looted artefacts to the Republic of Benin, a sword and its sheath to Senegal which had been taken from Omar Saidou Tall, a Muslim leader and founder of the Toucouleur Empire. Nations such as the Dutch and Belgians responded to the French challenge as well. However, the British remained opposed to the matter. Also, the Germans made their decision to restore 1131 looted Benin artefacts to the Oba of Benin and NIgeria.

But questions of ownership by the Oba of Benin came up.

As we looked forward to the historic restitution of the Benin bronzes, the Edo Museum of West African Art (EDOWAA) designed by David Adjaye, a famous Ghanaian-British architect was announced. Also, Legacy Restoration Fund is entrusted with managing the proposed museum.

However, a major dispute emerged after this announcement.

The Royal Museum was envisioned to be erected within or close to the existing Palace. Taken by surprise another museum independent of the Benin Monarchy was being planned, also to be run by a trust not dependent on the Oba who's supposedly the owner of the Benin artefacts.

Godwin Obaseki, the governor of Edo State where Benin City is located, claimed to have an important role in the restitution of the looted artefacts and their future management. As certain confusion of roles seemed to be developing, the Oba thought it necessary to articulate his opinion on the restitution issues in this situation.

-Godwin Obaseki, Governor of Edo State.

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Stool of Oba Eresoyen, Benin, Nigeria.

Now in Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation, Berlin, Germany.

Alter group with Oba Ewuakpe, Benin, Nigeria.

Now in Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation, Berlin Germany.

Goddess Irhevbu, Benin, Nigeria.

Now in Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation, Berlin, Germany.

Royal Messenger, Benin, Nigeria.

Now in the Ethnographic Collection in Dresden, Germany.

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Ivory Pendant depicting Queen-mother Idia, Benin, Nigeria.

Now in Linden Museum, Stuttgart, Germany.

Container in the form of an antelope's head, Benin, Nigeria.

Now in Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation, Berlin Germany.

Saltcellar with cover depicting an european, Benin, Nigeria.

Now in Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation, Berlin, Germany.

Commemorative head of a Queen-mother, Benin, Nigeria.

Now in the Ethnographic Collection in Dresden, Germany.

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There is no alternative native authority and custodian of the cultural heritage of the Benin Kingdom outside the Oba of Benin as constituted by the Royal Palace. I do not believe that the move by a privately registered company, the Legacy Restoration Trust Ltd. and the purported establishment of Edo Museum of West African Arts (EMOWAA) are in consonance with the wishes of the people of Benin Kingdom .It is pertinent to note that shortly after my ascension to the throne I had several discussions with the Governor on the plan for the Benin Royal Museum and he expressed his readiness to work with the Palace to actualize this laudable wish of my father. I made efforts and acquired additional plots of land from different families within the Adesogbe area near the presentday Palace for this purpose. I was however surprised to read from the Governor’s letter to the Palace where reference was being made to the fact that a new Museum to be known as EMOWAA is now being proposed, which will be funded and executed through the vehicle of another body now referred to as Legacy Restoration Trust. When Governor Godwin Obaseki informed me in his correspondence of another implementation framework using the socalled Legacy Restoration Trust and the Edo Museum of West Africa Arts (EMOWAA), my response was that the setting up of another organisation or legal entity in whatever form or guise will not be necessary nor acceptable.

-Oba Ewuare II

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This open conflict between Oba Ewuare II and Governor Obaseki over the issue of control of the Benin artefacts was carried out in the media to the shock of many acquaintances of the Benin Monarchy and Nigeria around the world. As a result, the Oba requested the Federal Government to receive the objects and keep them until the new Royal Palace was ready. Not to mention, several views expressed on the stance of the Oba and of the Governor as well as questions arose from this dispute.

1. Was the Oba not fully informed about the establishment of the Legacy Restoration Trust?

2. Was the composition of the members of the trust fund agreed upon by the Oba and the Governor, with the British Museum and the German government?

3. What were the roles of the British Museum and the German Government in the establishment of the LRT? 4. Who decided that the administration of the EMOWAA, housing the Benin artefacts, should be entrusted to the LRT? 5. Did the Germans or the British Museum ever express any preference for the LRT over the Benin Oba for the management of the returned treasures?

6. Can employees of the Nigerian or German State serve on board of trustees of private NGO’s?

7. What was the role of Prince Ezelekhae Ewuare, Crown Prince of Benin and son of Oba Ewuare, in all this?

Governor Obaseki’s response to the direct and honest speech was aimed at avoiding continuous dispute with the Oba of Benin for the interest of the state. It seemed that the Governor may have to give in and join forces with Oba. Meanwhile, Alhaji Lai Muhammed, the Nigerian Minister for Information and Culture announced their intention to take possession of the Benin artefacts as requested. But, the Minister’s statement regarding possession of the artefacts may have misled many people into thinking he claimed ownership rights on behalf of the Government.

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As Kwame expressed, how unimaginable is it for an international convention to make states owners of all cultural objects within the territory of the State. If the Modern African State extends its authority to cultural objects, the effect will be unimaginable. It's likely to set the continent on fire. This very opinion of taking over traditional ruler’s treasures shows lack of consideration and respect for history of the relations between traditional and modern African rulers, so conflict between them would arise. This would also show a total disregard of the sources of African cultural strength and dynamism. As we know, the power of African art is from the traditional rulers and their courts which has developed our culture from time. The history of resistance to foreign invaders is centred around traditional rulers such as Oba Ovonramwen and our cultural festivals aim to spread and reinforce knowledge of our culture.

What's to be expected of this dispute between the Oba of Benin and Governor of Edo State or the Federal Government would be to delay restitution. As a result, those who were never keen on returning the looted African treasures may now think they have a legitimate ground for delaying restitution. What a mistaken thought because they are not responsible for the future of the looted objects that are to return to Africa. We should also bear in mind that whenever a Benin treasure was returned to Nigeria, It was directly to the Oba of Benin. In 2014, Mark Walker, a British doctor returned two Benin artefacts directly to the Oba Erediauwa, the Oba of Benin. Walker inherited these two looted objects from his great-grandfather who was a member of the punitive expedition of 1897. Another instance is the return of the pieces of Oba Ovonramven’s coral regalia to Benin in 1938. It was sent directly to Oba Akenzua II who rejoiced at this gesture from the British.

The United Kingdom has so far offered to loan to Nigerians some of the Benin treasures they stole in 1897. However, we are not sure whether the ivory mask of Queen-mother Idia which the British refused to loan to Nigeria for the purpose of the great panAfrican cultural festival in 1977 is now included. The British secretary of culture, some historians and a large part of the British population share a common view that the Benin artefacts has become a part of British history as the British was the reason behind its fame.

On the contrary, Kwame expressed that Britain cannot go on forever against the direction of history and no matter what the people of the British Isles think, the major part of Europe seems to have accepted that the African artefacts be returned to their original owners in Africa. The Benin artefacts will be returned to the Oba of Benin, in Benin city, Nigeria BENINCITY N'IMOSE MAGAZINE

Oduduwa, Benin, Nigeria.

Now in Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation Berlin, Germany.

Excerpt from: Benin Bronzes Belong To Oba Of Benin Okpoku K. (2021, September 20). ‘Benin Bronzes Belong To Oba of Benin’ Modern Ghana.

Retrieved from; https://www.modernghana.com/news/1105713/beninbronzes-belong-to-oba-of-benin.html 68

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OCT-DEC 2023

This is the so-called

FLOODGATE ARGUMENT The Parthenon Marbles and the Benin Bronzes, have been the prime examples of contested artefacts for decades. Aside from other arguments, The British Museum stated that it could not restitute the Parthenon Marbles as this would influence Nigeria to claim the Benin artefacts. Other States will also follow. The British Government appoints most of the trustees of the British Museum and they work in collaboration to support the refusal to restitute contested artefacts.

On the contrary, there's an argument that the world has changed, and that the Western governments' unquestioned hegemony and the authority of museums are being challenged everywhere.

The nineteenth-century assumptions of Western superiority have been questioned, and the museums must therefore also change their structures and narratives.

Not only relationships between cultures are questioned. The legitimacy of the collections built during the period when Europe had a massive economic and military power is also contested. Do the museums of Europe have the legal or moral right to hold collections acquired in a context of extreme inequality and violence?

For decades, the legitimacy of these acquisitions and their eventual restitution has dominated the public debate on museums. The answer to this question is no longer the responsibility of the museums alone but also of governments.

When the Germans return hundreds of Benin artefacts, the Dutch return other treasures, the Belgians return Congolese objects, as a result, the British Museum and the British Government will experience enormous pressure to rethink their negative position.

Asante gold head-dress or ceremonial hat, Kumasi, Ghana.

Now in British Museum, London, United Kingdom.

Parthenon Marbles, East Pediment, British Museum, London.

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Who will tell the British Government and the British Museum about the strong currents that are now blowing in Africa, Europe, America, and the rest of the world for the restitution of looted cultural artefacts? Do they realise that restitution is the logical continuation of the decolonization process?

-Dr, Kwame Opoku, Former Legal Adviser, United Nations Office, Vienna.

Queen-Mother Idia, Benin, Nigeria.

Now in British Museum, London, United Kingdom.

Can the British Government that attaches importance to the Commonwealth continue to remain deaf to the pleas of Nigeria and Ghana to return their artefacts looted under the colonial regime? Refusal to restore looted artefacts amounts to unwillingness to accept the right to an independent cultural development. Such a refusal demonstrates beyond doubt a determination to deny cultural diversity and an assumption of a right to determine the disposition of the cultural property of others. Echoes of the doctrines of the British Empire resurface.

In plain English, the British Government and the British Museum should understand that the age of empire is no longer existing and our time no longer accepts the negative stance on restitution.

Excerpt from: How Long Will The British Government And The British Museum Resist Calls For Changes In Restitution Policy.

Opoku K. (2022, January 31). ‘How Long Will The British Government And The British Museum Resist Calls For Changes In Restitution Policy.’ Modern Ghana.

Retrieved from; https://www.modernghana.com/news/1135499/how-long-willthe-british-government-and-the-briti.html

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TRACES

OCT-DEC 2023

of a CULTURAL HISTORY

‘The Benin Bronzes’ is an iconic term used to refer to a group of sculptures and metal plaques created in the 13th century and onward by the guild of artisan in Edo and once decorated the royal palace of Benin kingdom, Nigeria. It better represents the artworks looted by the British troops in 1897, which have since disappeared around the world. Following several calls, a few of these looted artworks have been returned.

‘The African Origin of Civilisation: Myth or Reality’ is an exhibition that took place at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. It was packed with incredible artworks made by artists from Africa. This exceptional exhibition successfully paired artworks from Pharaonic Egypt with artworks from other parts of Africa. This approach was aimed to eradicate an existing preconception that Egyptian art is higher than art from the rest of Africa.

Artworks at the exhibition consisted of sculptures depicting animal and human figures, as well as fragments and relief works. Twenty-one African artworks were displayed, however, only five Benin Bronzes were amongst them. Here, the New York museum was trying to inform viewers about the story of looted objects and the recent calls for them.

Unfortunately, they said nothing about the call for restitution aside helping to build a museum in Benin City and the possibility of loaning the works to the museum being built.

Okeke-Agulu, director of a programme in African Studies at Princeton University, expressed that the British museum Act of 1963 was put in place to prevent the museum from disposing of objects in their possession excerpt in predesignated circumstances. So, it's this law that prevents the museum from disposing of the Benin bronzes. This Act of 1963 was enforced merely three years after 17 African nations gained independence from French, British and Belgium colonial forces.

David Adjaye, the Ghanaian-British architect and designer behind the new Benin Museum in Nigeria as well as Abu Dhabi’s Abrahamic Family House expressed that the looting of the Benin Bronzes was one aspect of the erasure of a prior cultural history that extended for 1000 years.

He also expressed there was a systematic discussion by British colonial forces to destroy the palaces, the spaces where the Benin Bronzes were kept, decontextualising the objects so they can be reassembled and reimagined in new forms as colonial tropes of war. This was Adjaye’s underlying support to his idea and task for the new museum project.

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ERASED

When you do discussions with school children, which we had done, there is no memory of what Benin was, and Benin literally is Rome or Athens in Africa.

It’s one of the most heart-wrenching things to be able to go to a city with so much history and to hold fragments as a way to try to stitch back the incredible power of that place.

These objects were sacred shrine objects mostly, or palace objects or objects of governance and history which had a direct relationship to architecture, and the way in which architecture and art curates culture.

-David Adjaye, Ghanaian-British Architect.

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They are not just art but they are things that underline the significance of our spirituality -Charles Edosonmwan They have enacted laws when they are owned by states, or they have established non-written forms of behaviours if they are privately owned institutions answerable to wealthy people and boards of trustees.

It's not unlikely that that Act was enacted to prevent these decolonising nations from knocking on their doors.

The two artefacts returned; a bronze cockerel and a bust that were looted from Nigeria more than 125 years ago.

The British destruction of Benin wiped out the collective memory of what the city was like. What is now inherited is a kind of post-war blockwork modernist city. This is contrary to everything to do with the prior civilisation. Having discussed with school children, there is no memory of what Benin was, and Benin is Rome or Athens in Africa, literally.

More than a century later, two Benin Bronzes were returned to the traditional palace in Benin city, Nigeria. A cockerel and head of an Oba sculpture were handed over to the Nigerian High Commission in October by the University of Aberdeen and Cambridge University's Jesus College. They were marked with a beautiful ceremony attended by traditional leaders. Although, Charles Edosonmwan, spokesman for the Oba palace in Benin City, expressed that some of the bronzes were kept as far away as New Zealand, the US and Japan, the return of these two bronzes raised hopes that more artefacts could finally be returned back to their ancestral home.

Excerpt from; How the looted Benin Bronzes are symbolic of colonial cultural erasure

Excerpt from; Nigeria’s looted Benin Bronzes returned more than a century late

Bedirian R. (2022, March 07). ‘How the looted Benin Bronzes are symbolic of colonial cultural erasure’ The National News.

Retrieved from; https://www.thenationalnews.com/artsculture/art/2022/03/07/how-the-looted-benin-bronzes-are-symbolic-ofcolonial-cultural-erasure/

Murphy N. (2022, February 20). ‘Nigeria's looted Benin bronzes returned more than a century later’ The National News.

Retrieved from; https://www.thenationalnews.com/world/africa/2022/02/20/nigeriaslooted-benin-bronzes-returned-more-than-a-century-later/

-Okeke-Agulu

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THE STRUGGLE SO FAR

In 2007 when Oba Erediauwa pleaded to the Austrian authorities to return some of the Benin artefacts looted by the British in 1897, the Western museums stated in clear, unmistakable terms that it was impossible. Now, over a decade later, Germany has agreed to return 1130 artefacts to Benin, Nigeria. What really happened between 2007 and 2022?

From 2007 on, from the exhibition Benin-Kings and RoyalsCourt Arts from Nigeria, the debate ignited by the magnificent exhibition attracted public attention.

In 2011 Italy, through the threat of legal action, obliged several US museums, including the Metropolitan Museum, to restore antiquities looted from Italy.

By 2016, it had become clear that there was a need to settle the issue of looted African objects as demanded by African governments since their Independence in 1960.

In 2017, Emmanuel Macron the young President of France made a historic speech at Ouagadougou in which he declared that African artefacts must be seen not only in Paris but also in Cotonou, Dakar, and Lagos. He also promised to ensure that within five years, he would establish conditions for returning African objects from French museums as temporary or permanent restitution.

In 2018 Macron requested Bénédicte Savoy and Felwine Sarr to examine the possibilities of restoring African treasures and make concrete recommendations.

In 2019 Savoy and Sarr presented their report to Macron recommending restitution of objects taken without consent of the African owners. As a result of that, the recommendation shook Western Museum directors.

In 2022, France returned twenty-six objects to Benin and two to Senegal. However, the twenty-six treasures restituted to the Republic of Benin in

BENINCITY N'IMOSE MAGAZINE

Queen-Mother Idia, Benin, Nigeria,.

Now in Humboldt Forum, Berlin, Germany.

November 2021 were not enough when we consider that France is holding six thousand Benin treasures in Musée du Quai Branly-Jacques-Chirac.

As for Great Britain, there is less enthusiasm for restitution.

One object from Aberdeen University and another one from Jesus College, Cambridge, have been returned to Benin, Nigeria. Glasgow Life, the cultural trust, which oversees Glasgow’s museums on behalf of the city council, held conversations with a delegation from Nigeria’s National Commission for Museums and Monuments (NCMM) about the return of 19 Benin objects.

However, major British museums such as the British Museum and the Victoria and Albert Museum have not shown any substantial modification in their negative position.

Tristram Hunt, Director of Victoria and Albert Museum, has called for a legislation change to enable restitution. While Neil Macgregor, former Director of the British Museum in his book, A monde nouveau, nouveaux musées, stated that nineteenthcentury assumptions of Western superiority had been questioned.

The British Museum continues to offer empty words when questioned about restitution.

Predictably, shortly after the announcement of the decisions of Cambridge and Oxford universities regarding the return of Benin bronzes, the Deputy Director of the British Museum, Jonathan Williams,

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was reported as seeking ‘dynamic and positive conversation’ with Greece over the Parthenon sculptures.

The British Museum continues to describe the Parthenon sculptures as an integral part of the British Museum collections. Once again, the officials of the British Museum have proved to be experts in the use of the English language to convey first the imminence of a transfer of the Parthenon Marbles to Greece and, in the following or same sentence, indicate they have no intention of abandoning their illegal holding.

In August 2022, The Arts Council England (ACE) issued its long-awaited guidance on restitution, ‘Restitution, and Reparation: A Practical Guide for Museums in England’.

The Horniman Museum in London announced its intention to return 72 objects to Nigeria. It consulted with Nigerian community members, visitors, schoolchildren, academics, heritage professionals, and artists based in Nigeria and the UK. The Smithsonian, which has adopted a policy of ethical returns of looted objects, will return thirty nine treasures to Benin.

The Netherlands promises to return Benin bronzes, but nothing so far has happened, pending the approval of a new law.

The Metropolitan Museum returned three objects to Nigeria, but what about the other 160 Benin bronzes and other African objects? Other American museums are promising to restitute or examine their policies of restitution.

Austria has set up a committee to examine the question of restitution of looted African objects in public museums.

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“he evidence is very clear that these objects were acquired through force, and external consultation supported our view that it is both moral and appropriate to return their ownership to Nigeria.

-Eve Salomon, chair of The Horniman Museum.

“The exhibition is showcasing some of the works that made Benin (Nigeria) famous. It once again, reminds the world of a civilisation truncated by the imperial forces of the colonialist. The works on show at this exhibition are some of the 3000 odd pieces of bronze and ivory works forcibly removed from my great grandfather’s palace by some Britons who invaded Benin in 1897. The British kept some of the loot for themselves and sold the rest to European and American buyers.

These works now adorn public museums and private collector’s galleries, all over the world.

We are pleased to participate in this exhibition. It links us, nostalgically, with our past. As you put this past on show today, it is our prayer that the people and government of Austria will show humaneness and magnanimity and return to us some of these objects which found their way to your country.”

Omo N’Oba Erediauwa CFR, Oba of Benin.

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the fact that the throne came to Germany in 1908 as a gift from the King of Bamum to Kaiser Wilhelm II is no ground for not considering a demand for its return:’ We have to ask ourselves: How great was the pressure on King Njoya to give the throne away?

-Lars-Christian Koch, director of the collections of the Staatliche Museen zu Berlin in the Humboldt Forum

On the specific issue of the Benin bronzes, there can be no legal transfer of the stolen artworks objects while the rightful owners of the stolen objects are actively calling for their restitution. The Benin bronzes are not an amorphous product of “African art.” They are private property, bought by and paid for by the Benin kings through massive expenditure of national treasure, and constitute the wealth of the kingdom. These bronzes were commissioned for specific historical events, the artists who produced them were paid for their work, and the artworks were used in very prescribed manner and also as a store of value. The looting and dispersal of the Benin bronzes deprived the Benin king of his private property and deprived his descendants of equity in this stolen property. It deprives Benin people of any chance to benefit in any economic, political, social or cultural manner from the value produced by these artworks and further denies them equal access to these artworks.

Aside from what they see in images of the artworks in Western museums, young Benin people have no way of benefiting from the products of their ancestors. The artworks generate income for the various museums that hold them, but this is not in any way shared with the Benin king of his heirs.

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Belgium has returned to the Democratic Republic of Congo legal rights in several objects, but so far, only one object was returned by the Belgian monarch, King Philippe, who did not even issue a formal apology for all the atrocities committed during Belgian colonisation. Eighty-four thousand treasures are to be restored.

In October 2021, Nigeria and Germany signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on museum cooperation which provided a legal frame for transferring to Nigeria legal rights on 1130 Benin treasures from German museums after several years of negotiations. Germany will soon return the objects to Nigeria, but a certain number will remain in Germany as loans from Nigeria and could be recovered by Nigeria whenever required.

Germany has agreed also to return treasures to Namibia and to return the statue of the mother goddess Ngonnso to her people in Cameroon.

In July 2022, the Rautenstrauch-Joest-Museum in Cologne, Germany, welcomed a royal delegation from Bangwa, Cameroon. H.R.M. Asabaton Fontem Njifua, and representatives of the Bangwa discussed with museum officials the restitution of cultural objects stolen during the German colonial rule. The discussion focused on a sacred Bangwa sculpture, lefem, that is in the museum’s collection.

The lefem was crafted to embody the spirit of Bangwa chiefs to protect the Bangwa people.

The other European States, such as Italy, Portugal, Spain, Norway, and Sweden, have not shown any awareness of the need for restitution of looted African treasures and indeed appear not to be highly active here.

Switzerland, which did not have any African colonies but benefited from the colonial system, has shown awareness of the need to examine acquisitions in the colonial period.

Ghana has set up a 22-member committee chaired by Professor Kodzo Gavua, Department of Archaeology, to lead Ghana’s quest for reparation and restitution of trafficked cultural heritage and artefacts looted during the colonial period.

-Sylvester Ogbechie, a leading African art historian.

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The question of the meaning of the ‘Benin bronzes’ or ‘Elgin Marbles’ in London – 1900 or 2000 – is inseparable from the issue of British attitudes towards Africa and the Orient as sites, once for direct military and political colonisation, and now for their postimperial economic exploitation and indirect manipulation. To return them would imply the belief, on the part of the British authorities, that the peoples of those parts of the world were now capable of competently looking after artefacts that were removed because the local inhabitants were unfit, because of the ‘degeneration’ of their societies, to act as their curators. Their return would also imply admission of their illegal possession by the British. Both implications remain unthinkable because post-imperial racism continues to be a highly significant aspect of British foreign policy. Though British society may be relatively ‘multicultural’ now, its ruling elite, like that of the US, is still predominantly white, middle-class, and male.

OCT-DEC 2023

Despite all efforts, a copy of the memorandum of understanding (MOU) of May 2021 has not been seen nor that of 13th October 2021 signed between Nigeria and Germany concerning the restitution of Benin bronzes. The MOU would regulate questions, the terms, and conditions applicable to loans to Germany. This is an important issue on the restitution between Nigeria and Germany. Also, it's unfortunate that parties to the MOU are not willing to allow the public access to its contents. Misunderstandings and suspicions can be avoided by following a policy of transparency. So how do we know at this stage which Nigerian treasures will be kept in Germany without a clear list of the objects to be returned? he Queen-Mother- Idia and other noble Benin royals such as Oba Akenzua I, must return home. These two famous personalities have historical importance in Benin history. The bust of the QueenMother Idia in Berlin represents the finest craftsmanship of Benin art. So, will Nigerians who want to appreciate the excellence of Benin artistry have to travel to Berlin to see this?

Is public education in African history not important?

In the Humboldt Forum, the controversial throne of King Nujoya of Bamum, Cameroon was displayed. Although the Germans say it was the king’s gift to the German Emperor, was this gift voluntary? It is well known that African thrones and stools contain spiritual powers. So why would an African king willingly give away his ancestral throne as a gift to an imperialist emperor? Thrones do not belong to the king, who is also a servant of the throne. An African king cannot dispose of his throne without the agreement of his council and the royal family. Thus, gifts under the colonial system are subject to a general suspicion of having been secured through violence, threats or show of colonial force.

-Jonathan Harris, The New Art History.

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OCT-DEC 2023

The controversial throne of King Nujoya of Bamum, Cameroon In the Humboldt Forum.

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The golden pipe of Asantehene Kwaku Dua was gifted to the Dutch King Williams I in 1837. It is also reasonable to question if gifts are made by African heads of States after Independence, such as the commemorative head of an oba given by General Gowan to Queen Elizabeth.

However, Germany is prepared to consider a demand for the throne from Cameroon.

So far, restitution of Benin artefacts is encouraging, but this is only a tiny fraction of looted African objects in Western museums. We await restitutions of Asante, Egyptian, Ethiopian, Sudanese, Yoruba, and other looted treasures.

Moreover, there is the related problem of restitution of African human remains in Western institutions.

In addition, how about the issue of compensation for the damages and loss of earnings caused by detaining our treasures for more than a hundred years? We could also examine the loss incurred by confiscating objects, land, and forced labour.Thus this subject of reparation and compensation for looted treasures raises unexplainable questions. However, our position is that, as a matter of principle of justice, those who cause injury must pay compensation.

A golden pipe said to have been given as a gift by the Ashantehene Kwaku Dua to the Dutch King Williams I in 1837.

Now in The Nationaal Museum van Wereldculturen.

Excerpt from: How Far Have We Gone In The Struggle For The Restitution Of African Artefacts?

Okpoku K. (2022, August 24). ‘How Far Have We Gone In The Struggle For The Restitution Of African Artefacts?’ Modern Ghana.

Retrieved from; https://www.modernghana.com/news/1179136/how-far-havewe-gone-in-the-struggle-for-the-resti.html

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WHAT’S WHAT ABOUT

THE RIVAL MUSEUMS

Edo Museum of West African Art (EMOWAA) is not a rival to the Benin Royal Museum according to Mr Andrew Okungbowa, a top official of EMOWWAA. The Benin Royal Museum was initiated by Oba Ewuare II. It is proposed to be located opposite the palace on Plymouth road, Benin City. Its purpose is to house the looted artefacts returned from Europe.

On the other hand, EMOWAA is proposed to be at the former site of the old central hospital, between Sapele road and Ezoti street, in the same Benin City. It is slated as a world-class institution, focused on West Africa.

EMOWAA is not-for-profit public trust, with recognised trustees, promoters and international donors, committed to the promotion of arts, heritage, culture and tourism.

Okungbowa mentioned that the ongoing construction is more of a research facility which will serve as a world-class archival, archaeological and materials research institution, focused on West Africa.

The central hospital site was demolished in 2022.

All patients, workers and equipment were relocated to Stella Obasanjo Specialist Hospital, a government-owned hospital located off Sapele road, Benin City. Godwin Obaseki, the State governor, decided the site would be used for a project that would benefit Edo residents and other people worldwide.

As for the Benin Royal Museum, it depends on the completion date, the two returned artefacts - the cockerel and the bronze head of an oba are kept at the palace of the oba.

Excerpt from; ‘EMOWAA not rival to Benin royal museum’ Olaniyi B. (2023, April 05). ‘EMOWAA not rival to Benin royal museum’ The Nation.

Retrieved from; https://thenationonlineng.net/emowaa-notrival-to-benin-royal-museum/

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EMOWAA has not been conceived as a rival to the Benin Royal Museum, but as a collaborator, since both organisations have their mandates, which we believe are for the good of Africa, West Africa, Nigeria, Edo State, Edo people, artists, lovers and promoters of the art.

-Andrew Okunbgowa Queen-Mother Idia, Benin, Nigeria.

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AN OFFICIAL GAZETTE A PAWN MOVE THAT MAY COMPLICATE PLANS FOR THE EDO MUSEUM The Nigerian government has officially recognised Oba Ewuare II, the current traditional ruler of Benin as the owner and custodian of the looted artefacts. This was announced in the form of a Presidential declaration released through an official gazette. The notice was issued on 23 March, entitled “Notice of Presidential Declaration on the Recognition of Ownership and an Order Vesting Custody and Management of Repatriated Looted Benin Artefacts in the Oba of Benin.” The Oba of Benin, demands that the bronzes be held by his family in the royal museum.

The announcement has caused confusion for Western institutions planning to return Benin Bronzes. However, Godwin Obaseki, the State Governor, endorsed the Edo Museum to house the Benin Bronzes. It is overseen by the EMOWAA trust and scheduled to open in phases in 2024. It was earlier reported that the plan to return hundreds of the looted artefacts has given motivation for the ongoing museum construction plans. So, what happens now? We await a response from the museum.

All artefacts must be delivered to the Oba of Benin who exercises the rights of the original owner. This covers the ones already repatriated and those yet to be repatriated -Presidential Declaration

For many Edo people, it is right and proper that such objects go back to the Oba as they were looted from his greatgreat-grandfather. It has however caused confusion amongst many European museums who are negotiating deals with Nigeria’s National Commission for Museums and Brass plaque, Benin, Nigeria.

Monuments (NCMM)—they are now Exhibited in the Ethnological Museum, Berlin, Germany. asking, who is our partner? It also blindsided the NCMM

Excerpt from; Nigeria transfers ownership of Benin Bronzes to royal ruler-confusing European museums plans to return artefacts Harris G. (2023, April 26). ‘Nigeria transfers ownership of Benin Bronzes to royal ruler-confusing European museums plans to return artefacts’ The Art Newspaper.

Retrieved from; https://www.theartnewspaper.com/2023/04/26/who-willmuseums-partner-with-over-benin-bronzes-now-eyebrows-raised-as-latestnigerian-government-announcement-makes-oba-owner-of-artefacts

BENINCITY N'IMOSE MAGAZINE

-Barnaby Phillips, the author of Loot: Britain and the Benin Bronzes

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