Nigerian rapper and activist Great Okogun staged a protest at the British Museum’s Benin Bronzes exhibit in London, calling for the immediate return of the sacred artifacts looted from the Kingdom of Benin in 1897. Holding a Nigerian flag emblazoned with the words “Stolen from Africa. Reparations!”, Okogun condemned the museum for keeping these cultural treasures behind glass, describing the bronzes as more than art—they are sacred objects taken through violent colonial conquest.
Okogun, who is of Esan heritage, used the demonstration to highlight ongoing demands for restitution and justice for Africa’s stolen heritage. He launched the social media campaign #BringBackOurBronzes alongside a petition urging formal repatriation and reparations. He criticized the disparity in how the world responds to acts like the Holocaust compared to Africa’s colonial history, questioning why African sufferings often go unacknowledged.
The Benin Bronzes, numbering over 3,000 pieces of brass, bronze, and ivory works, were seized during Britain’s 1897 punitive expedition against the Kingdom of Benin (now Edo State, Nigeria). While museums worldwide hold fragments of the collection, the British Museum houses the largest number—approximately 900 pieces. These artifacts hold immense artistic, spiritual, and historical significance for the Edo people.
Okogun’s protest forms part of a growing global movement as countries such as Germany and the Netherlands return looted artifacts. Nigeria’s Edo Museum of West African Art (EMOWAA), opened recently, stands ready to receive the bronzes. Despite increasing international pressure, the British Museum has so far resisted calls for repatriation, prompting renewed activism that seeks to restore African cultural identity and historical justice.
