United States: The Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs has taken delivery of twenty-two pieces of repatriated artefacts from the Smithsonian Institute National Museum of African Art, Washington DC, United States.
The artefacts which are 18th century arts, were a total of twenty-eight items but the museum decided to return only twenty-two of them and keep six after signing an MOU renewable every 5 years with Nigeria.
The Nigerian Ambassador to the United States of America, Ambassador Uzoma Ikechi Emenike who had the honour of returning the artefacts to Nigeria, said, the returning of the artefacts showes the height of diplomacy Nigeria has with the United States of America.
According to her, the significance of handing over of the repatriated artefacts to Nigeria, is a demonstration of cultural diplomacy on the part of the United States of America.
The Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Zubairu Dada, while congratulating Nigeria on yet another feat of taking back lost artefacts from foreign countries appreciated the Smithsonian Museum for freely and willingly returning the items to the country.
The official handover from the Ministry of Foreign affairs to the Ministry of Information and Culture will take place at a later date yet to be arranged.
