How Often Will Germany Insult Nigeria When Demands Are Made For Restitution Of Looted Artefacts?
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"I was moved to silent melancholy at the thought that this assembly of degenerate and feeble-minded posterity should be the legitimate guardians of so much loveliness.” Leo Frobenius, on seeing Ile-Ife art
. (1)
On the occasion of the opening of the Humboldt Forum, Berlin, Nigeria once again asked Germany for the return of looted Nigerian artefacts in Germany. (2)
This was nothing unusual and the response or lack of it, was also not unusual. Germany did not reply to the request of the Nigerian ambassador to Germany, Yusuf Tuggar. A year before the opening, in 2019, Ambassador had made the same request and received no response. Readers can make up their own minds about this undiplomatic behaviour of not responding to a request made by a duly accredited ambassador on behalf of his government. Would Germany have acted this way if the request came from the U.S. or British ambassador in Berlin?