See Why Mexico Returned Graven Image To Nigeria

The Government of Mexico has reiterated its stance against the illegal trafficking of cultural property.

Today,  the customs agency of Mexico’ s Tax Administration Service, in coordination with the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Culture , returned a bronze Ife sculpture of the Yoruba people to Nigeria.

The Ile- Ife bronze sculpture was deported to Nigeria on discovery  that it was illegally exported, and cultural heritage was at stake.

The authenticity of the statue was ascertained by experts.

A press statement released on Wednesday read:

DON’T MISS: Detained AN24 Former Reporter Has Been Released

“ The sculpture and its provenance were authenticated by experts and agencies of both countries, with the participation of specialists from the National Institute of Anthropology and History. It had been exported illegally .”

It added , “ Mexico strongly opposes illicit trafficking in cultural property . By returning it to Nigeria , the government shows its commitment to protecting cultural heritage . International monitoring and cooperation are essential for complying with current laws , including the 1970 UNESCO Convention.

“ The illicit trafficking of cultural property is one of the main causes of the impoverishment of cultural heritage . It deprives the world of valuable information about the origin, context , and nature of these objects. ”

The statement quoted Nigerian Ambassador Aminu Iyawa as thanking Mexico for its assistance .

“ Mexico and Nigeria have strong bilateral ties and channels of dialogue that made it possible for this sculpture to be returned ,” the statement added

---

Advertise or Publish a Story on EkoHot Blog:

Kindly contact us at [email protected]. Breaking stories should be sent to the above email and substantiated with pictorial evidence.

Citizen journalists will receive a token as data incentive.

Call or Whatsapp: 0803 561 7233, 0703 414 5611