By Ozioruva Aliu

BENIN CITY— IT was another joyous day for the palace of the Oba of Benin as Omo N: Oba N’Edo Uku Akpolokpolo, Ewuare II, yesterday, received two artefacts, a mother hen and a bronze plaque, from the University of Iowa Museum, United States of America.

This is the second time in two months that the monarch would receive returned artefacts as he had on May 18 received two artefacts from Germany, which are among those looted from the palace in the 1897 invasion of the Benin Kingdom.

The Oba, while receiving the items in his palace, said former President Muhammadu Buhari made the ownership of artefacts very clear through his gazette before he left office.

He alluded to some of the earlier ones retuned to the palace which he said his forebears started the process but he was able to accomplish the feat when he ascended the throne.

The royal father said the artefacts were not just items but that they have spiritual implications, which mortals cannot understand and appealed to the political leaders to help preserve the traditions and customs of the land.

Earlier, Mr. Cory Gundlach, the Curator, African Art of Stanley Museum, Iowa, United States of America, apologised to the Oba of Benin for using the artefacts as teaching materials in the university.

He also apologised on behalf of his other colleagues, who have used the arts to teach thousands of students in the United States of America without the consent of the original owner.

He assured the monarch of his determination to ensure that others kept elsewhere were returned to its original abode.