FG Seals Deal With Germany To Repatriate Stolen Artefacts By 2022

BY CHIKA OKEKE, Abuja

As part of efforts to recover Benin bronzes carted away by the colonial masters, the federal government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Genrman government to repatriate the artefacts by 2022.

This formed part of deliberations today, during the visit of German delegation to Abuja, led by the Director-General for Culture and Communication, German Federal Foreign Office, Dr. Andreas Görgen.

The Director- General of National Commission for Museums and Monuments (NCMM), Prof. Abba Isa Tijani signed the MoU on behalf of Nigeria while Dr. Andreas Görgen endorsed it on behalf of Germany.

Other members of the German delegation are: Director of Museum at the Rothenbaum - Cultures and Arts of the World in Hamburg (MARKK), who is also the spokesperson for the Benin Dialogue Group, Prof. Dr. Barbara Plankensteiner, and President of the Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation, Prof. Dr. Hermann Parzinger.

German Minister of State for Culture, Monika Grutters had during a meeting with the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed in Berlin, Germany in July this year, disclosed that 1,130 artefacts would be returned to Nigeria.

The MoU stipulates that the return of Benin bronzes from German museums will be embedded in a broad collaboration in the areas of archeology, museum facilities and museum cooperation.

Reacting, the German Ambassador to Nigeria, Birgitt Ory, said: "I am delighted that the German delegation achieved so much progress. This underlines again our commitment to the Nigerian–German cooperation in this field. We commend our Nigerian partners for their cooperation and are looking forward to the next steps“.

Also, the head of the German delegation, Dr. Andreas Görgen, added, "I am very pleased that, after the previous meetings, we were able to create a reliable basis for the return of Benin bronzes and for further cooperation. I am sure that our joint engagement will put Nigerian–German cultural relations on a new foundation."

At the end of the talks, it was agreed that the process leading to the return of Benin bronzes will begin in the second quarter of 2022, with transfer of ownership.

Both parties also agreed that Benin bronzes will continue to be exhibited in German museums and that there will be cooperation on exhibition projects.

The next meeting is scheduled for December 2021 in Germany, when a framework agreement would be concluded.

Comments

National Parks Panacea In Mitigating Climate Change- Olory

BY CHIKA OKEKE, Abuja The Conservator of Park, Cross River National Park, CP Caroline Olory has disclosed that National Parks hold the key to mitigating climate change across the country. She stated this on Wednesday in Abuja at a workshop organised by the Development Agenda in collaboration with Environmental Media Correspondents Assodiation of Nigeria with the theme: "Climate Change and COP28: The Way Forward For Nigeria." The 28th Conference of the Parties (COP28) scheduled to hold in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, will garner more than 70,000 participants, including heads of state and government, government officials, representatives of international organisations, business leaders, academics and civil society organisations. Olory lamented that climate disasters are happening at frightening rates in Nigeria, and a panacea to cushion the effect is the standing forest which serves as carbon sink that would absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. She informed

Emerging Diseases: EHCON Faults Health Workers For Neglecting PPEs

BY CHIKA OKEKE, Abuja L-R: Registrar of Environmental Health Council of Nigeria (EHCON) Dr Yakubu Baba and Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Environment, Mr Mahmud Adam Kambari during a Ministerial press briefing on Monday in Abuja. The Environmental Health Council of Nigeria (EHCON) has faulted health workers for neglecting the use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs) in treating patients taunted by emerging diseases. This followed the outbreak of an Acute Viral Hemorrhagic Fever (VHF) suspected to be Lassa Fever at the Accident and Emergency unit of the 44 Nigerian Army Reference Hospital in Kaduna State last week. News Rider reports that a circular issued on Wednesday, February 21, 2024, by the Acting Corps Commander of the Nigerian Army Medical Corps, Brigadier General S.O Okoigi revealed that the index patient died at the hospital after presenting symptoms of febrile illness while three health workers died within 48 hours. The PPEs are goggles, masks, glov

Video: Civil Servants Write Promotional Exams In Darkness

Staff of Federal Ministry of Information and Culture, Abuja are currently writing their promotional examination in darkness. In the 11 seconds video, the civil servants were seen writing the examination with torchlight and assistive light from their phones. Findings revealed that the hall, which has poor lighting and ventilation compelled staff battling with poor eyesight to struggle to read the examination. Regretably, the question papers were not typed but hand written, photocopied and distributed to the civil servants. An eyewitness told News Rider that the promotional exams earlier scheduled for November 9, 2023 by 10am, started at the Conference Hall, Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Phase 1, Federal Secretariat Abuja. "The question we are asking is what of the money budgeted for the promotion examination that the ministry cannot distribute a typed question paper "The staff are writing exams with the touch light of their phones

News Rider

Search This Blog