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Nigeria receives repatriated 600-year-old Ife Terracotta
Nigeria has received the repatriated Ife Terracotta that was smuggled through Ghana in 2019 to Holland with forged documents.
Minister of Information and Culture Lai Mohammed received theTerracotta from his Foreign Affairs counterpart Geoffrey Onyeama in company of the Ambassador of the Netherlands to Nigeria, Mr. Harry van Dijk.
Receiving the artifact in his office in Abuja on Thursday, Mohammed, according to a statement by his media aide, Segun Adeyemi, said the return of the stolen Ife Terracotta marks a milestone in Nigeria’s efforts at pursuing the return of the country’s antiquities.
“It gives me profound joy to receive this very important antiquity, an Ife Terracotta, which is dated to be at least 600 years old. I am even more delighted that our efforts at pursuing the return of Nigerian antiquities, which we launched last November, have started yielding fruits,” he said.
The minister said the government’s resolve to seek the repatriation of the nation’s timeless and priceless artifacts was strengthened by President Muhammadu Buhari’s marching order for Nigeria to tap into tourism and other fields, where Nigeria has comparative advantages, in order to generate income for the nation and secure jobs for our youths.
“One way of generating income for the country is if our cultural properties are exhibited around the world to a fee-paying audience, on the basis of proper agreement that acknowledges us as owners and confers the right benefits on us. But this is not possible for as long as most of them adorn the museums and private collections of others, who describe them as their properties,” he said.
Mohammed, who described the handing over of the artifact as a new beginning, said apart from the pecuniary benefits, the priceless objects wrought by the nation’s forebears are unifying factors among the diverse cultures in the country.
He explained following the interception of the artifact by the Dutch Customs at Schiphol Airport in The Netherlands, Nigeria was invited to prove her case against the suspected smuggler, which the country did successfully before return of the artifact.
“Let me state here that Nigeria believes in joint international efforts to put a stop to illicit export and import of cultural goods.
The issue of cultural property should not be a ground of rancour and discord among nations. That is if nations choose to tow the path which the Kingdom of The Netherlands has chosen by insisting on justice, fairness and amity,” he said.
Onyeama thanked The Netherlands for efficient and expeditious manner in which it deployed resources to identify, retrieve and repatriate the Ife Terracotta to Nigeria.
van Dijk said the return of the artifact is a fitting gift to mark the 50th anniversary of the UNESCO Convention on the Prevention of Illicit Trafficking of Culture Heritage, of which Nigeria and The Netherlands are signatories.
The Director General of the National Commission for Museums and Monuments, Prof. Abba Isa-Tijjani, has taken custody of the artifact for cleaning and treatment at the Conversation Laboratory before its eventual display to the public.
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Tinubu restructures media team, says no individual presidential spokesman
Tinubu restructures media team, says no individual presidential spokesman
President Bola Tinubu has reorganised his media team, re-designating the positions of his two recently appointed special advisers for media and communications.
This is contained in a statement released on Monday night by his Special Adviser on Media and Strategies, Bayo Onanuga.
He said Sunday Dare, the special adviser on public communication and national orientation, is now the special adviser on media and public communications.
Onanuga added that Daniel Bwala, announced last week as a special adviser on media and public communication, will now function as the special adviser on policy communication.
“These appointments, along with the existing role of special adviser, information and strategy, underscore that there is no single individual spokesperson for the presidency,” the statement read.
There had been some confusion as Onanuga, designated as special adviser on communication and strategy, had been the presidential spokesman since the exit of Ngelale Ajuri, who was special adviser on media and publicity.
However, on Monday, Bwala announced himself as the presidential spokesperson.
“Today, I resumed officially as the Special Adviser, Media and Public Communications/Spokesperson (State House). I am happy to have joined a meeting of the robust and fantastic communication team of Mr. President. I love the existing unity among the team and hope we can leverage on that even for more synergy,” he wrote on his X handle.
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President Tinubu arrives in Brazil for G20 Summit focused on SDG challenges
President Tinubu arrives in Brazil for G20 Summit focused on SDG challenges
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of Nigeria arrived in Rio de Janeiro late Sunday night, marking his participation in the 19th Heads of State and Government Summit of the G20.
Accompanied by a high-level delegation of ministers, Tinubu was welcomed by Brazilian officials, including Ambassador Breno Costa of the Ministry of External Relations.
The summit, hosted by Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, takes place from November 18 to 19 under the theme “Building a Just World and a Sustainable Planet.”
Discussions will prioritize sustainable development’s economic, social, and environmental dimensions, alongside pressing geopolitical concerns, including the Israel-Hamas conflict and escalating tensions between the United States and China.
Tinubu’s delegation reflects a diverse portfolio of Nigeria’s strategic priorities. Among those joining him are Foreign Minister Yusuf Tuggar, Minister of Livestock Development Idi Mukhtar Maiha, and Minister of Art, Tourism, Culture, and Creativity Hannatu Musawa. Others include Minister of State for Agriculture Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi and National Intelligence Agency Director General Amb. Mohammed Mohammed.
As part of his agenda, Tinubu is expected to engage in bilateral meetings on the summit’s sidelines to further Nigeria’s socio-economic reforms and global partnerships.
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President Tinubu’s attendance underscores Nigeria’s commitment to engaging in multilateral platforms to address global challenges and promote sustainable development.
His participation also signals Nigeria’s intention to leverage the G20’s influence to strengthen its domestic economic agenda and global standing.
Brazilian Ambassador Carlos Areias, who extended President Lula’s formal invitation to Tinubu earlier this year, highlighted Brazil’s advocacy for robust global strategies to combat food insecurity and foster equitable development.
Tinubu’s presence at the summit is seen as a testament to the growing role of African nations in shaping global economic policies.
President Tinubu arrives in Brazil for G20 Summit focused on SDG challenges
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Ondo gov: Go to court, Tinubu tells aggrieved PDP, others
Ondo gov: Go to court, Tinubu tells aggrieved PDP, others
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has urged candidates dissatisfied with the results of the Ondo State governorship election to seek redress using the judiciary to address their grievances.
He spoke after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa of the All Progressives Congress (APC) the winner of the election.
In a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, President Tinubu congratulated Governor Aiyedatiwa and lauded the peaceful conduct of the election.
He also commended the 17 political parties and their candidates for their maturity during the campaigns and on election day.
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“Those dissatisfied with the outcome of the election can explore the opportunities provided by the judicial system to seek redress on areas of conflict,” the statement read.
President Tinubu said the Ondo election demonstrated the capacity of INEC to deliver credible polls, highlighting the timely deployment of electoral workers and materials as well as the uploading of over 98% of results on the same day.
He also expressed appreciation to the security agencies, including the Nigeria Police Force, National Civil Defence Corps, Federal Road Safety Corps, National Youth Service Corps, and the military, for their professionalism in ensuring a peaceful electoral process.
Tinubu stressed the importance of maintaining civility in post-election activities.
Ondo gov: Go to court, Tinubu tells aggrieved PDP, others
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