No one has heard anymore on the return of artifacts stolen by the British during the colonial era. Our legislators demanded that the Government of Olusegun Obasanjo demand that this artifacts be returned in 2002.
Unfortunately, that incompetent government and the legislators in it just paid lip service while young Nigerians are deprived of their proud heritage. They have to learn about these artifacts if at all from Western Historians. If they need to see and touch them, they have to either make do with sub standard replicas or travel all the way to Europe.
This singular act (some might call it trivial considering Nigerias numerous problems) shows how unpatriotic our leaders have been. They are not interested in fighting for or bringing back an important piece of our cultural heritage. They are more interested in looting the treasury and running Nigeria into the ground.
I hope Yaraduas government realises the symbolic importance of all these Nigerian artifacts lying in museums all over the world to building and enhancing our identity and culture as a people. Me for one am tired of having to pay while standing in long queues to see great works of my ancestors in a foreign land.
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