In 1897, British soldiers committed genocide against the Edo people of the Benin Empire in present-day Nigeria.

During the unfortunate event, they destroyed what was once a prosperous and advanced civilization in West Africa. They burned to ashes the great wall of the Benin Empire (which stood 4 times longer than the great wall of China), bringing the empire to a violent end.

In the wake of the destruction, they proceeded to systematically loot over 3,000 sacred and deeply symbolic bronze and ivory art, Carting them away to public museums and private collections in the Global North for the profit and enjoyment of the West.

These artworks have come to be known collectively as “the Benin bronzes”. The Masks of Queen Idia were among the looted Benin bronzes.

5 similar masks were stolen from a chest in the Oba’s bed-chamber by the British soldiers. These masks were sculpted as miniature portraits depicting the face of the Iyoba (Queen mother) of the 16th century Benin Empire. She was the mother of Esigie, the Oba of Benin from (1504 to 1550).

They were highly revered and symbolic masks made from Ivory and copper by indigenous artisans who had been commissioned by the sitting Oba. As with the rest of the looted Benin bronzes, the loss of the masks of Queen Idia was a huge blow to the Edo people.

Over 95% of Nigerians have never laid their eyes on such an important part of their history held in foreign museums.

The Edo people and Africans, in general, should not need to beg for access to our birthright nor be obliged to travel across continents and pay in foreign currencies just to catch a glimpse of our ancestral heritage.

Our Ask:

-We hereby call on the following Museums that currently holding 4 of the looted masks of Queen Idia captive to do the honorable thing and repatriate them to their rightful owner.

-These institutions have reaped economic benefits for decades. Repair and restitution should be made to the rightful owners to compensate for the financial and psychological loss and to facilitate the construction of museums and safe spaces in their ancestral lands to house showcase these artifacts.

-Financial reparations are also required to repair the generational harm and reeducate and reacquaint the indigenous people with the history and symbolism of these long-lost artifacts.

Lists of Museums holding the masks of Queen Idia

1. British Museum in London. The British Museum, which houses more than 900 items looted from Benin City in 1897

2. Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.

3. Seattle Art Museum

4. Linden Museum,

**There is one more mask held in an unknown private collection.

Please join us in amplifying our voices so that the looted items can be returned to the Edo people and restitution and compensation taken into account.

Please share with others. Thank you!

Tamkara A

Quote: “Generations of Africans have already lost incalculable history and cultural reference points because of the absence of some of the best artworks created on the continent. We shouldn’t have to ask, over and over, to get back what is ours”.-Victor Ehikhamenor

Interesting reference: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/national-museum-of-african-art-removes-benin-bronzes-from-display-affirms-commitment-to-repatriation-180979037/