Architecture of Unforgetting

  A Public Letter. The statement below is quoted in current news media as coming directly from Mr. Abba Isa Tijani of National Commission for Museums and Monuments:   “One of the NCMM's concerns is that President Buhari has, inadvertently, undermined the rationale for any national collection. If the Oba's ownership of the Bronzes moves beyond the theoretical to the practical, does this not mean that every Nigerian traditional ruler or community is in charge of the treasures made by their ancestors?” 05/10/23 The above statement has to be the most illiterate conclusion from Mr. Tijani. Mr Tijani appears to be deliberately playing the fool for reasons best known to himself.  The fact is the Benin situation is unique history of direct, open warfare looting by the British. The British did not go with their best weapons by declaration of ‘expedition’ to loot the traditional works of any other place in Nigeria. Rather, unlike Benin, most of the works from other groups acr...

  “It is because of our fellow man that one carves properly. There is no piece of wood carved well that even an ignorant man will not appreciate.“ - Edo proverb  This was an interpretation I gave to a proverb in Edo, "Nu dẹ owina ne iwọmwan ai na k’erhan se. Ai miẹ erhan na kae n’Ogbe ne ghi yọ re." Something wasn't quite right, So, on our social media page , I asked if anyone knows the above proverb in Edo, whether different from the one provided here. Here is the result we got from comments:  From Paul Osa Igbineweka, a lecturer and Historian:  "....(The correct phrasing of the proverb) in the Edo language is: "Rhunmwuda owina ne ihuọmwa ẹrẹ ana ka’erhan ẹse. Ai miẹ erhan na kae n’Ogboi ne ghi yọ re."  Meaning: It is because of another skilled carver as yourself that you carved so well. Otherwise, there is no carving done for a novice that he will not appreciate. This is an idiomatic expression to say: Better do your work well you never can tell who would...

  Call for submissions We are interested in publishing history writing from budding historians living in Africa, from serious research in history to experimental oddities .  Submissions with pictures, photographs, images of any source and in particular drawings greatly encouraged. Let’s help you publish such a manuscript. All copyrights to author. Subject / history from any group in West Africa. All we ask is that all editing or drafts fully completed. Contact

  On the recent FGN gazette, BENIN ROYAL MUSEUM and moving forward. This part of the matter regarding the repatriation of our looted artefacts has been unnecessarily prolonged because the British Museum attempted to co-opt the process by using the governor of the state,  Governor Godwin Obaseki , as tool to serve the advantage of very same hoarders of stolen artefacts, the British Museum. Mr Obaseki in turn was, sadly, eager to comply with the ex-colonizers in their fabricated notion that the works “belong to NGN govt” and should be “loaned“ ‘govt to govt’ through a museum to be called ‘emowaa’.  Blinded with foolishness, Mr Obaseki began actively seeking all kinds of means to undermine the palace over the initially agreed on BENIN ROYAL MUSEUM, all in absurd attempts to broker his sham agreement with the Brits of ‘no return, just loan from govt to govt’ for presentation in a ‘British Museum funded’ ‘emowaa’”. In doing, Mr Obaseki put the palace of the Oba under unwanted ...

BREAKING : FG Issues Gazette Recognising Ownership, Vesting Custody  of Repatriated Looted Artefacts in Oba of Benin.

The Benin State, History and Art. As early as January 1897 a name was already being suggested in England for what the British hoped would be their final take over what they termed the ‘Oil Rivers’. The name was ‘Nigeria’ and the Oil Rivers Protectorate was after the palm oil laden lands of Niger Delta belonging principally to the Benin Kingdom. The Oba of Benin held great influence and prevented the British ‘Royal Niger Company’ from forming a monopoly in the region. Since the so-called ‘scramble for Africa’ of 1884, Benin was a target for the colonial efforts of Britain. By the following February the British would invade the administrative center of the kingdom, Benin City, on the pretext of retaliation over the ambush of an ‘unarmed and friendly’ visit, and on February 18 1897 set the city on fire, burning as much as they could and looting works of arts and sacred documents and courtly objects directly from the palace of the Oba of Benin in the ancient city Benin City. Shortly after,...

From the Universal Museum’s Ruins – by Steven Gambardella In February 1897 a punitive attack was launched by the British on the city of Benin, the capital of the West African empire of the same name. 1,400 soldiers took part in the operation equipped with the latest technology developed for bush fighting. This arsenal included rockets, artillery with incendiary shells purposefully chosen to burn thatched roofs, flares to aid night fighting, and thirty-eight Maxim machine guns with around two-million rounds of ammunition. The Maxim fired 10 bullets a second. By one account, victims were “cut in two” by the hails indiscriminately fired into the bush as three columns closed in on the capital. Rifle rounds were filed down to expand on impact with human skin. To use the modern parlance, this was “asymmetric warfare”. The technology used by the British was prohibited from being sold to local African populations, who defended themselves with obsolete muskets, improvised canons, spears and bow...