Restoring Stolen Resources to the Nigerian City of Benin.
You may have heard of the Benin Bronzes, royal artifacts from the Benin Kingdom (now a part of Nigeria) that were looted by the British in 1897 when the Kingdom was conquered by the British Empire. These artifacts have become a symbol of many nations’ commitment to returning stolen treasures to their rightful home. The majority of the bronzes (over 900 to be specific) are currently being held in the British Museum, though the current Oba (king) of Benin City has been in contact with the museum for over a decade about getting the works repatriated to their cultural home. Efforts are finally being made to return the treasures, but the deed hasn’t officially been done yet.
The Benin Bronzes are civic artifacts because of their connotation to the ideological ethics of property and ownership. If the rhetorical situation is reducing inequalities among nations, is it ethical for one country to be in posession of another’s national treasures? While the bronzes may not hold significant monetary value, the civic issue here is the principle of returning things that have been stolen. The two lenses I will use to look at this problem are the cultural significance of these specific artifacts to the Kingdom of Benin, and the much wider viewpoint of the numerous African resources that still remain primarily in the hands of Europeans. From the 1961 murder of Patrice Lamumba in the Congo, to the Rwandan genocide in 1994, there are many wounds left on African governments and economies by colonialism and neo-colonialism. When the broader lens of these exploited resources is raised, this issue not only addresses reduced inequalities, but also the SDG’s of no poverty, zero hunger, good health and well-being, decent work and economic growth, and peace, justice, and strong institutions.
What do you think about the Benin Bronzes being in the British Museum? Does it have a wider connection to the exploitation of recources in Africa?
Thanks,
-Asim
Sources:
https://www.britishmuseum.org/about-us/british-museum-story/contested-objects-collection/benin-bronzes
http://revealinghistories.org.uk/africa-the-arrival-of-europeans-and-the-transatlantic-slave-trade/articles/the-ongoing-exploitation-of-africa.html
http://www.whenthenewsstops.org/2014/06/neo-colonialism-and-changing-nature-of.html
This is a really cool artifact to analyze as I feel like there are a lot of ways you could go about this. Your explanation is thorough, and I understand how you will approach this. The only thing I would maybe add is a little more of a hook to your intro. Really nice job.
I agree things that are stolen should be returned. These artifacts definitely have some level of value to the city of Benin. To me, it’s the principal that’s the issue. They can be put in a museum for show, but it should not be in the country that stole them. Overall this was a very interesting read, as I’ve never heard of these before.
Beautiful explanation- clear to understand, has a lot of different perspectives you can approach the issue from, and it seems like you thoroughly understand the issue and how it effects people daily. You made a strong point by ensuring to state that these items do not have a very strong monetary value, and that the necessity for them to be returned roots much deeper. I feel like this is very important to a lot of things in life, and shows that the deeper story and value in items helps shape the future world.
Class Presentation:
Very interesting and thoughtful introduction, lots of eye contacts and hand gestures, very compelling language. Really impressed by your great work!