Demystifying Perception Of Africa Through Return Of Artefacts

A popular Latinate aphorism goes thus: “Lies have short life span”. Interestingly, this aphorism is traceable to a Biblical foundation of truth written in the book of Proverbs 12 verse 19 which says “The truthful lip shall be established forever, a lying tongue is but for a moment”.
This is where the avalanche of a negative appellations and indeed erroneous perceptions of Africans postulated by Eurocentric Scholars readily comes to mind.
For instance, more than 150 years ago, German Scholar George Hegal argued that “Africans were sub humans and the only way they could come to the lower rung on the ladder of humanity was for them to undergo slavery in Europe”.
Apparently, a renowned academic as George Hegal supported and justified slavery.
At this juncture, one may wish to ask, are Africans truly sub human?
Worse still, professor Hugh Trevor Roper in his inaugural lecture in 1963 asserted: “African past is darkness and darkness cannot be subject for historical investigation”.
Professor Hugh Trevor Roper did not mince words when he described African past as “unedifying gyration of barbarous tribes in picturesque but irrelevant comers of the globe”.
As if that was not enough, another Eurocentric writer, David Hume also said “Africa has no ingenious manufacture, no arts, no science”.
David Hume continued to transmit his Vernon when he said again”I am apt to suspect the Negros to be naturally inferior to the white”.
Infact, the film entitled The Birth of a Nation also known as Clansman in 1915 directed by D. W. Griffith made mockery of the backrace by painting Afro-Americans as stupid and further eulogized white supremacy.
There is no gain saying that these negative perceptions of African by eurocentric writers were geared towards justifying slavery and other forms of humiliation of the African race and glory in free labour.
In other words, those eurocentric impressions were and still are deliberate attempts to undermind the invaluable contributions of Africans to humanity.
For instance, the Al-Qarawiyin University, Moroccois reputed to be the oldest University in the world as well as University of Timbuktu, Mali, West Africa which began in the first instance as centres for Islamic Studies.
Today, the return of artefacts to Benin,Edo State and Nigeria at large is an eloquent testimony to the creative ingenuity of Nigerian and Africans at large.
It would be recalled that recently Cambridge University handed over Benin Bronze Cockerel to Nigeria, stolen about 124 years by British Colonial Forces in 1897.
This was followed by the return of Sculpture of Oba of Benin by University of Aberdeen, Scotland.
It is common knowledge that the return of artefacts particularly to Benin,Edo State has been on going but not limited to the examples of Cambridge University and University of Aberdeen.
Records show that on June 20, 2014 at a ceremony held at the palace ground Benin, Edo State, two looted Benin bronzes namely ‘Oro’ described as bird of disaster and gong bell were returned to the Oba of Benin by two Britons Doctor Adrians Mark Walker and Chief Steve Dunstone.
One thing is clear; artefacts are evidences of ancient culture and civilization of a people.
It is an evidence that there was a generation who lived with archaeological evidence of their implement and relics and technology.
In the words of the erudite arts historian and specialist in Nigeria antiquities, Barbara Winston Blackmun (1928-2018), Bronze bell have been cast South-Eastern Nigeria for over 1000 years.
Barbara Blackmun disclosed that the oldest bells have been excavated at Igbo Ukwu East of Benin and dated to the 9th century.
The revelation of no less a scholar Barbara Winston Blackmun predates the ranting and evil postulations of eurocentric writers of 18th and 19th centuries.
It is, therefore, not true of David Hume and his cohort to say that Africa has no ingenuous manufacture, no arts, and no science.
The question agitating the mind of Nigerians and indeed Africans now is, after the return of artefacts,what next?
The Professor of Film Studies University of Port Harcourt, Professor Femi Shaka in an interview posits “The thing about the return of artefacts is that it goes to disprove that Africans have no culture”.
“Most of these looted items are thousands of years in carbon-dating which goes to tell us that Africa had flourishing culture much more advance than that of Europe”.
Another Scholar, a Professor of Textiles and Fashion Design University of Port Harcourt, Professor Pamela Cyril Egbare insists that museum should not be seen as a dumping ground for useless materials. The lesson is that slavery is a bad thing and ignorance is not a good thing”.
According to Mark Olaitan, Curator National Museum and Monument: “One will count it as ignorance on the side of the White who came to our country to loot our property”.
According to him, “By the time, this looted materials got to the outside world, they came to understand that Africa has culture even superior to their own culture”.
As recorded in the Bible book of Romans 10:12 “For there is no distinction between the Jew and Greek for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call on Him.
God created all human beings equal and in His own image.
This is where it becomes pertinent to suggest that Nigerians and indeed African leaders must resist the penchant to playing second fiddle by begging their counterparts in America and Europe for aid.
Nigeria must rise up and take advantage of the returned artefactesto reconstruct a new national pride and entrench its big brother role in Africa Diplomacy.
Nigeria must rise up and articulate a new world order and march Europe and America, science for science and culture for culture.
Professor Femi Shaka cited above, advised the Federal Government to put in place institutional infrastructure for the maintenance of these artefacts” such as world standard museum and training of man power.
According to Mr. Mark Olaitan, Curator, National Museum and Monument, Port Harcourt: “The return of artefacts will heal many a wound inflicted by the expedition by British colonial forces and further build the broken walls of relations between Africa and the West”.
In the words of Professor Pamela Cyril Egbare, “The National Museum and Monument should learn to open up to the public; let people know that tourism is good while government must create the needed awareness on the returned artefacts, advertise on national radio, Tv, because artefacts are revenue earner and promoter of tourism”.
The time to act is now.

By: Baridorn Sika
Baridorn Sika is a broadcast Journalist and Public Affairs Analyst
Email: bscommunication@yahoo.com.
Tel: 08033409667.