Community Museums as Holding Centres for Returned Nigerian Cultural Heritage

Abstract

Looting and trafficking of cultural heritage in the areas known today as Nigeria started during the exploration and expansion of British territories in Africa. Missionaries, military officers, traders and anthropologists were notorious for their involvement in the illegal expropriation of artefacts. After the independence, looting of Nigeria's cultural heritage continued in museums, palaces, shrines and other sacred places. However, in recent years, several people and institutions have campaigned for the return of artefacts to their original owners. Consequently, there was a return of two ancient Benin bronze artefacts; a cockerel (Okukor) and UhunwunElao (Oba head