Nigeria recovers $55k stolen artefacts
From Chinwe Ochu in Abuja, 11.16.2009
Monday, November 16, 2009

Foreign Affairs Minister, Chief Ojo Maduekwe,  at the weekend,  took delivery of two stolen Nigerian artefacts worth $55, 000 recently handed over to Nigeria by the French Customs in Toulouse, France.


http://odili.net/news/source/2009/nov/16/213.html




The two monoliths stone artefacts had been traced to the Bakar people of Cross Rivers State.  They were reportedly  smuggled into France in 2004 and are valued at $25,000 and $30,000 each.

Receiving the monoliths from the Nigerian Ambassador to France, Mr Gordon Bristol,  in Abuja, Maduekwe said the decision to return the stolen stone to Nigeria underscored France’s sensitivity to the issue of works of arts that were illegally removed from their countries of origin.

He noted that the return confirmed that stolen arts works, if vigorously pursued could be returned to their home countries, calling on countries still harbouring art works stolen from Nigeria to take a queue from France.

Maduekwe used the opportunity to appeal to Nigerians to value what they have, saying  Nigerians were better appreciated outside the country because of arts. He said there was need for greater capacity for security of art works, stressing the need for arts education to encourage the younger ones.

Speaking earlier, the Nigerian Ambassador to France,  Bristol recalled that the monoliths were smuggled into France in 2004 by a Cameroonian woman who claimed that they originated from her country and that they were not of any commercial value.

However, experts opinion enlisted by the French authorities,  according to him, concluded that the objects undoubtedly originated from Cross River State. “The interception and return of these artefacts by the French authorities further testifies to the cordial bilateral relations between Nigeria and France and the possibilities still available to expand and deepen these relations especially in the cultural field”, Bristol noted.

Any which way dem try.

That is 8 million plus, those that sold it might not know the actual wort of it. But all boils down to poverty and corruption.

Can Nigeria do the same?

Have they return the one they stolen away during the nasty era of slave trade? Infact who helped dem recover it sef?

oge4real:

Can Nigeria do the same?

Can a cat or rat by any means return a missing fish(meat)?
You know the answer

princekevo:

Can a cat or rat by any means return a missing fish(meat)?
You know the answer

Hahahaha

those theiving brits should borrow a leaf from the french n return our stuffs.OLE NLA

hope they don't resell it.

Aloy is at it again-----

Personally I do not think it has anything to go with goodwill or affordability.

1. I think Europeans through their years (centuries and centuries to be exact, remember it was the Arabs that more or less drove out the Greco-Romans from Egypt) of pillaging and stealing things from Africa have come to understand and know certain things about Africa that African people themselves do not know. That would explain their vociferous pursuit of historical african artefacts even wen the africans themselves do not seem to value those artefacts.

2. Price of an artefact is connected to its perceived historical value . . .

3. I do not think money is really an issue in this case, hence I do not buy into the idea that the cheap cost of the artefact was wat made them return it in the first place.

4. Instead, I  think the artefacts hold no historical value to the French, hence why they were returned.

5. Europeans don't give a shit about our feelings or desires, hence if those artefacts were of immense historical values, i seriously doubt they would have been returned.

6. My suspicion is that there are many more historical artefacts that were stolen, known to be stolen and yet Europeans are refusing to return them to the countries of origin. Hence people should not even think for one second that Europeans really give a shit about our opinion. Its more of whether the item is of value to them or not. That is why i like the way China deals with Europe in a brutal tit for tat style. A significant number of Europeans descended from Barbarians, hence violence and selfishness, survival of the fittest and taken and stealing things from the vulnerable is part of their culture.

7. There is another important question:

HOW DO WE KNOW WHAT IS BEING RETURNED IS THE ORIGINAL ARTEFACT AND NOT JUST A VERY GOOD REPLICA.

Can Nigeria do the same?

how do u mean? , Nigeria didnt go about stealing peoples cultural stuff,last i checked

They are not so expensive anyway. . .France can 'afford' to return them.

u miss the point,i dont think moneys an issue here

paddy_lo:

how do u mean? , Nigeria didnt go about stealing peoples cultural stuff,last i checked

Nice answer . . . most people do not realise that its not really an Africa thing to be stealing other people's property. . . even though there are bound to be thieves in ancient times in Africa, nevertheless i doubt it was on the same scale of what the Europeans normally do to other cultures . . .

Infact its hard to even think or remember any mention of their being organised crime in pre-colonial and pre-arab invasion black african societies . . .

OBVIOUS:

Aloy is at it again-----

Obviously, This is NOT the news.

OBVIOUS:

Aloy is at it again-----

Where is Posa??

ROFL "artefacts" hahaahahaahahhaahaahahhahahahahahahahaahahaha

Artifacts


hahaahha its even on the front page spelled like that

chosen04:

Obviously, This is NOT the news.

platinumnk:

ROFL "artefacts" hahaahahaahahhaahaahahhahahahahahahahaahahaha

Artifacts


hahaahha its even on the front page spelled like that

It's actually a correct spelling. I was confused myself.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Artifact_(archaeology)

spikedcylinder:

It's actually a correct spelling. I was confused myself.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Artifact_(archaeology)

lmao

ARTIFACTS=====RIGHT
ARTEFACTS====RIGHT

My teacher once marked me wrong for spelling ARTEFCTS.

chosen04:

ARTIFACTS=====RIGHT
ARTEFACTS====RIGHT

My teacher once marked me wrong for spelling ARTEFACTS.

SOrry. Its keyboard error===ARTEFACTS

You Guys have succeeded in derailing this Thread. NO Thanks!

Kooool my guy!

Baba how far na?. . Why u come ignore my question earlier?

d

Abeg no vex---- I hear say dey don _Ban am---

^^I hope he's not using another ID now

Or wat do u think?

Why won't this make news. The "Thiefing Handry" stole the Irish Potential World cup dream just a couple of days ago.

This gesture is to douse the Thiefing issue on ground call it Image management or PR