Oba of Benin, Ewuare II, has asked the Prince of Wales, Charles George, to support the agitation for the repatriation of ancient Benin artifacts which were taken to the United Kingdom in 1897 by the British authorities. He stated that the repatriation of the artifacts would enable him to establish Oba Palace Museum for the promotion of tourism in Benin City, Edo State.
The monarch made the demand in a statement he delivered during a closed-door meeting with the heir to the British royal throne at the UK High Commissioner residence in Maitama, Abuja, on Tuesday. Other traditional rulers at the meeting included the Ooni of Ife, Enitan Ogunwusi; Sultan of Sokoto, Sa’ad Abubakar; Obi of Onitsha, Igwe Alfred Achebe; Emir of Kano, Lamido Sanusi, and others.
Charles, who had earlier visited President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, was on the last leg of his tour of the Gambia, Ghana, and Nigeria with his wife, Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall.