The Benin National Congress (BNC), a social cultural organisation that articulates the advancement of the Benin Kingdom on a robust intellectual pedestral, has expressed its indignation over the planned auction of Oba Ovonramwen’s statue in London.


In a strongly worded statement issued in Benin City yesterday, BNC President, Mr. Aiyamenkhue Edokpolor, stated that it is rather sad, callous and insensitive on the part of the British Government to tolerate the attempt or perpetuate the auctioning of stolen Benin icons
like Oba Ovonramwen’s statue whose death and burial-place has continued to reflect intrigues and daylight murder.


Mr. Edokpolor pointed out that the planned auction of Oba Ovonramwen’s statue in London at a time the Benins are celebrating the annual Igue festival with mixed feelings to the effect that this period also coincides with the infamous British punitive mission to the old Benin Empire where hundreds of thousands of the indigenes were killed, despoiled and maimed, and with precious materials violently looted, smacks of conspiracy and utter disrespect for the sanctity of the ancient Benin Kingdom on the part of the British Government.


He asserted that given the futile efforts by individuals and groups for the repatriation of these artefacts, it has become expedient to call on the African Union to severe ties with Britain because of its continuous refusal to yield to the clarion calls.


The BNC president said independent investigation had revealed that the artefacts was deliberately under valued at 4.5 million Pounds to down play public outcry, while in actual fact, independent archaeological survey indicates that the value of the artefacts is in the neighbourhood of 71 million Pounds.


“At no time had His Royal Majesty, Oba of Benin or the Government of Nigeria approved of the transfer of the Benin icon, so where is the legitimacy of ownership? The person seeking to auction it ought to be arrested in the first place for being in possession of stolen property,” the BNC noted.


The statement further pointed out that the planned auction of these artefacts is a reflection of the failure of Nigeria’s Federal Government to recover these imprisoned artefacts, adding that the BNC condemns in strong terms, the docility of Federal Government agencies like the National Commission for Museum and Monuments in the prevailing circumstances.


It urged the United Nations to condemn the ignoble proposal, and set a deadline for the unconditional return of these priceless arts.


Similar sentiment and vehemence was also expressed yesterday by the Edo Leadership Assembly (ELA), a pan-Benin organisation which condemned in the strongest of terms possible, the planned auction of stolen Benin artworks by Sotheby’s, an elite auction House based in the UK and USA.



The auction includes the Mask of Idia and five other items stolen from the Benin Kingdom during the British expedition of 1897.


According to news reports: “Only four other historical ivory pendant masks with related iconography of this age and quality are known; all of which are housed in major museums around the world.



All of the ivory masks are widely recognised for the quality of their craftsmanship, for the enormous scale of Benin’s artistic achievement and for their importance in the field of African art.


Produced for the Oba (or King) of Benin, these ivory pendant masks are testament to the Kingdom of Benin’s golden age when the kingdom flourished economically, politically and artistically.”


“The mask and the five other Benin objects will be sold by the descendants of Lieutenant Colonel Sir Henry Lionel Gallwey (in 1913 he changed his name to Galway) who was appointed deputy commissioner and vice-consul in the newly established Oil Rivers Protectorate (later the Niger Coast Protectorate) in 1891. He remained in Nigeria until 1902 and participated in the British Government’s “Punitive Expedition” of 1897 against Benin City.


The statement in quote amplifies the reason why these rare works of art cannot be owned by private individuals.



These are iconic artefacts of historical and contemporary significance to the people of Great Benin, Nigerians and Africans in general.



And considering the manner in which these artworks were stolen from the Benin Kingdom, it would be a grave injustice for the descendants of Galway to benefit monetarily from the pilfering of their forebear.


The Idia mask alone is estimated to be sold for over N1 billion naira.


The Edo Leadership Assembly calls on all Edos, Nigerians and people of goodwill everywhere to inundate Sotheby’s with protests calls, petitions, emails and faxes denouncing this slight on the people of Benin Kingdom and Nigeria at large.

http://nigerianobservernews.com/24122010/news/news%201.html

Carry go BNC and ELA. These Brits should stop taking us for a ride and reaping the fruits of invasion/colonialism.

They say when you add sand to a blind mans "garri" grain by grain, he may be unaware initially, but it gets to a stage when he says alas!! enough is enough. Lets claim what is "legally" ours back, otherwise the spirits and blood of the great bini warriors will arise against these oyinbos [i wish ].