NEWS
NCMM Recovering Over 1000 Artefacts Stolen from Nigeria — DG
Prof. Abba Tijani, Director-General, National Council of Museum and Monuments (NCMM) has said that progress is being made in the recovery of Nigeria’s stolen artefacts from Germany and other nations.
He revealed this in an interview with NewsMen when he received a team of students and staff of the SDG-Graduate School, University of Maiduguri, on a courtesy call to his office on Monday in Abuja.
The students who are on a three-day study visit from the Centre for the Study and Promotion of Cultural Sustainability, University of Maiduguri, congratulated their former lecturer and former director of the centre on his one year in office.
Benin Bronzes, some of Africa’s greatest treasures looted in 1897 were being held in state and private museums in Germany among others scattered around the world.
Tijjani who has just completed one year in office recounted with satisfaction and gratitude to God some of the achievements made during the first year which included progress on the repatriation of the stolen items.
“During this first year we have witnessed the issue of repatriation, Nigeria has made attempt several times to request for our collections that where stolen from the country.
“Particularly during the Benin punitive expedition of 1897 when the Oba of Benin’s palace was ransacked and artifacts in the palace were taken away.
“They found themselves in different museums across the world particularly in Europe and America.
“The attempts to get this objects repatriated especially in the early 70s during the then Director-General Ekpo Eyo did not yield result as the British museum did not succumb to the request.
“And particularly the issue of the symbol for the FESTAC 77 that was requested and the British museum did not oblige.
“So this time around, we are able to engage our partners, where these objects are kept in the interest of museums across the world.
“Especially through the Benin dialogue group forum, which we have been engaging with to repatriate Benin artefacts that were stolen during that period.
“And finally Germany has succumbed and accepted to repatriate all the Benin bronzes and the possessions of our museums across Germany which is over 1000 artefacts.
“We have achieved this and we have been to Germany together with the honourable minister of information and culture, and we have negotiated.
“We have agreed the timeline that these objects will finally start coming to the country from July 2022, so this is a landmark achievement,” he said.
Tijani said as a result of the progress made with the artifacts in Germany, museums across the world were reaching out to negotiate terms of the return of artefacts in their possession.
He added that this had also motivated government to rehabilitate a number of museums which were in bad condition thereby enabling looters access to national treasures.
“So this is a landmark achievement and as a result of that other museums across the world are reaching out to negotiate terms of the return of these artifacts.
“We have also received a number of other artifacts one of them is the 600 years old Ife head, a terracotta head that was stolen from Nigeria.
“We were able to get it back from Netherlands, this was last year and we have also received some artifacts, Benin artifacts from private collections that were anonymously returned to us.
“We have now reached an agreement with Aberdeen to get the Benin plagues in their possession this October.
“And also we have also arranged for the repatriation of three artifacts from the metropolitan museum of art in New York.
“I will be visiting the US next month to take possession of these artifacts so in terms of repatriation, these are land mark achievements.
“But also at the local level, we are also able to rehabilitate a number of our museums that were in a very bad condition that made it impossible for visitors to have access to our collections,” he said.
Earlier Tijjani advised the students to be resilient and patient with the process, but be sure to put in their best as according to him “much has been given to then by the sponsors and to whom much is given, much is also expected”.
Miss Naomi Haruna and Dr Talatu Adiwu, Coordinators on the study visit thanked the Director-General for his constant support to them, the centre and the University of Maiduguri where he had been a lecturer.(NAN)
Gov. Alex Otti has vowed that anybody implicated in the mismanagement or theft of pension funds in the state will face prosecution.
Otti made the remark during the November edition of the monthly chat with the media at the Government House, Umuahia on Thursday night.
He said that recent investigations revealed that some civil servants were involved in pension fraud.
He said that the government would work diligently to investigate and hold accountable anyone involved in pension fraud as part of the efforts to sanitise the civil service.
“I am sure you would have heard some reports about some civil servants who were involved in pension fraud.
“We have zero tolerance for corruption, once we got convincing information we had to arrest the people involved.
“Coincidentally, the opposition went on air to castigate the government.
“My question is somebody stole and I arrested him and you went to press to say that I shouldn’t arrest a thief, that means you are a thief yourself.
“I think we have responded to them and we are continuing with their prosecution,” Otti said.
He said that he received a report of the investigation from the security agency handling the matter and authorised that the perpetrators should be arraigned in the next few days.
On health, he said that the government would soon commence the rehabilitation of the Primary Healthcare Centers (PHC) in the state to improve access to quality healthcare services.
“I have just signed off the reconstruction of about 200 primary healthcare centers in the three senatorial districts and 17 Local Government Areas.
“If you look around you will see that work would start in the PHCs.
“When we are done with the approved 200, we would move to the next 200, until we have touched every primary healthcare center,” the governor said.
He further said that the government had commenced the rehabilitation of 22 secondary healthcare centers across the state.
According to him, government was making serious efforts to attract the right personnel to work in the state-owned health facilities and pay competitive compensation package to all of them.
Otti also spoke on road construction, saying that contract had been awarded for the reconstruction of some roads to further drive socioeconomic development in the state.
He listed the roads to include the 5.5-km Onuimo-Abia Tower Road, 29-km Onuinyang-Okporoenyi-Oboro-Ikwuano Road, 11.5-km Ntigha-Mbawsi-Umuala Road and 11.1-km Obehie-Umudobia-Owaza Road.
Other roads are the.11.7-km Mbala-Umuaku-Ngodo Road, Umuogo-Nsukwe Ring Road,13-km Ohanze-Ntighauzo-Obete-Umuoha-Obende-Akirikaobo Road and 6.92-km Umuopara Ring Road.
On agriculture, he said that he had approved the disbursement of funds to the 300 Abia youths sponsored by the government for training on improved agricultural practices.
“I have just given instructions that the funds we approved for them be released to them so that they can hit the ground running,” Otti said.
He affirmed his administration’s commitment to infrastructure development and capacity building in order to enhance growth in the various sectors of the state’s economy.
On economy, Otti said that the government had made significant improvements in enhancing the ease of doing business in the state.
“The National Bureau of Statistics published a report that showed that our state came from number 27 in terms of attraction of foreign investment to number three out of 37, immediately following Lagos and Abuja.
“We think between June 2023 and June 2024, our state attracted almost $150.9 million to place 3rd.
“We have always said that foreign investment as a matter of fact is not emotional but rational, so investment and investors don’t listen to platitudes they look at action,” he said.
Otti expressed his determination to continually work toward creating an enabling environment that will make Abia to remain a choice destination for investors. (NAN)
The Minority Caucus of the House of Representatives has called for severe punishment for individuals involved in charging the 76 minors with terrorism, treason and arson for participating in the #EndBadGovernance protest.
In a statement by the Minority Leader, Rep. Kingsley Chinda (PDP-Ricers) also demanded for adequate compensation for the children and their families for the trauma.
Chinda commended President Bola Tinubu for being responsive to calls by Nigerians, and the Iinternational community for the termination of the suit and the release of the children.
“While we commend the President for the timely intervention, the caucus strongly canvass the possible investigation, prosecution, and discipline of individuals, and government agencies involved in the despicable, callous, and inhuman action that has led to national disgrace, and global condemnation.
“Anybody, and institution that played roles in the hounding of the children into cells for about 95 days when they should be at their respective schools, trades, and vocations must be brought to book for necessary public umbrage, and punitive measures discharged to serve as detterent to others.
“Conscious of the psychological trauma, and health challenges the children may have experienced, we appeal that quality reformatory therapy sessions, and medical support be advanced to them as they unite with their respective families.
“Also, we call for immediate reparation packages to the children and their families to ameliorate the untoward hardship, pain, and emotional torture suffered during the period of unlawful incarceration,” he said.
The #EndBadGovernance protest which began in Aug. 1, and lasted for 10days, was characterised by destruction of public and private property and some protest in north were seen hoisting Russian flags.
The security agencies in attempt to bring the situation under control, arrested and detained some protesters which included children.
The minors’ arraignment sparked public outrage and criticism of the government after they were paraded in court .
President Tinubu directed that all minors detained during protests against the rising cost of living in August be freed and treason charges on Monday.
Report says that on Nov. 5, the Federal High Court in Abuja struck out the treason charges against the minors.
The trial judge, Obiora Egwatu, struck out the case after the Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation M.D. Abubakar, announced the withdrawal of the charges.(NAN)
The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has released relief items to victims of flood in Ahoada West Local Government Area of Rivers.
Mr Adebiyi Razak, South-South Zonal Coordinator of the agency handed over the items to the state government at Akanima in Ahoada West.
Razak said the items represented federal government intervention and response to the plight of the numerous households displaced by the disaster.
”We have handed the items to the state government through the Commissioner for Special Duties, Mr Sam Anya, and we are optimistic that the distribution will commence immediately since there is an already established flood committee in the area.
”The committee has the itinerary items and names of persons in each of the camps, with this record, every household consisting of six family members is entitled to a basket of various items.
”The items include a 50kg bag of rice,1 bag of garri, cooking oil, sanitary wares, camping foam, blanket, bucket amongst others,” Razak said.
Receiving the items, the commissioner thanked the federal government for the intervention and sustained support to the state.
Anya assured beneficiaries of judicious distribution of the items.
The commissioner said that the state would embark on massive dredging of waterways and desilting of drains to curb flood impact in the state.
One of the victims, Mrs Codilia Festus also thanked the federal government for the intervention which she said would go a long way in reducing their suffering. (NAN)
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