Hannatu Musawa, Nigeria’s Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy, has initiated discussions with the Swiss government for the repatriation of Nigerian artefacts, including monoliths and bronze pieces, currently held in Swiss museums.
The talks took place during a courtesy visit by Swiss Ambassador to Nigeria, Patrick Egloff, to the minister in Abuja on Friday, as reported by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
Both parties expressed a commitment to deepening cultural cooperation and exploring opportunities for collaboration in the arts and culture sectors.
Ambassador Egloff affirmed Switzerland’s readiness to forge bilateral agreements and advance cultural diplomacy with Nigeria.
He revealed that the repatriation process for the artefacts began three years ago, with plans to return the bronze pieces to Nigeria via its embassy by the end of 2025.
“This is the first time that a Swiss ambassador is meeting with a Nigerian minister of art and culture.
“There is a lot happening, and we would be very interested to build more institutional cooperation with the ministry.
“We think this restitution would be a very good opportunity to strengthen institutional cooperation,” he said.
In her remarks, Musawa thanked the Swiss government for its efforts and emphasised the importance of retrieving the artifacts for Nigeria’s cultural heritage.
The minister said the meeting marked an important step in strengthening cultural ties and exploring new areas of cooperation between the two countries.
She identified potential cooperation opportunities in critical areas, including animation, design, architecture, hospitality, and tourism.
“It is very important for us, Nigeria, to have back these artifacts and even have a wider conversation with Switzerland about what the restitution will look like.
“The conversation with the Minister of Culture in Switzerland is going to be very important because we will look at what our cooperation opportunities are in other areas,” she said.
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