Arthur Greene
Ngowezi-1897, iqembu lamasosha aseBrithani laphanga izinkulungwane zobuciko obuvela eMbusweni Wasendulo wase-Benin futhi ngemuva kwalokho lawuthengisela labo abaqoqa ubuciko emhlabeni jikelele.
Ngemuva kweminyaka engaphezu kweyi-120, iJalimane ivumile ukubuyisa ingxenye yalezi zinto zobuciko ezebiwe, ezaziwa ngokuthi ziyi-Benin Bronzes.
Izikhulu zaseJalimane zenze isivumelwano ne-Nigeria sokubuyisa amanye amakhulukhulu e-Benin Bronzes njengamanje agcinwe kuzigcinamagugu ezweni lonke.
Eminyakeni eyishumi edlule, inhlangano ebizwa nge-Benin Dialogue Group (i-BDG) ibisebenza nezigcinamagugu kulo lonke elaseYurophu naseMelika ukubuyisa le misebenzi yobuciko nokusungula umbukiso waphakade e-Benin City, e-Nigeria.
“Abahlanganyeli bayavumelana ukuthi ukubhekana nezikhathi ezedlule zamakoloni zaseJalimane kuyinto ebalulekile emphakathini wonke futhi kungumsebenzi oyinhloko wenqubomgomo yamasiko,” kubhala izikhulu zaseJalimane.
Isitatimende siqinisekisa ukuthi isabelo se-Benin Bronzes sizobuyiselwa e-Nigeria esikhathini esithile ngonyaka ozayo.
Iningi lama-plaque nezithombe ezibaziweyo eziphangiwe eMbusweni Wasendulo wase-Benin – manje osekuthiwa yi-Nigeria namuhla – zigcinwe eminyuziyamu ehlukahlukene eNtshonalanga.
Ngaphandle kweJalimane, amakhulu e-Benin Bronzes abekwe eminyuziyamu yase-UK, e-US nase-France, phakathi kwamanye amazwe amaningi.
Umsakazo we-National Public ubika ukuthi i-Nigeria inengcosana zalezi zingcebo eziyigugu eziyiphethe kunamanye ala mazwe.
Ukuthi ahleli ezandleni zala mazwe kubonwe ngabaningi njengophawu lokunqoba kwamakoloni kanye nemiphumela yawo ehlala njalo.
Ngemuva kokumemezela kweJalimane, isigcinamagugu esise-Aberdeen sithe naso sizobuyisela ubuciko obukuso.
Uhulumeni waseBrithani okwamanje unamathele kunqubomgomo yakhe “yokugcina nokuchaza” izinto zobuciko ezitholwe kusigcinamagugu sakhe ezaqolwa ngombuso wamakoloni. Amakhulu ayisishiyagalolunye e-Benin Bronzes agcinwa e-British Museum e-London kuphela.