Hey there,

Trust you are having the best of the weekend.

On Wednesday, we shared the story of the rivalry between Jumia and Konga. Google thought it was an ad and sent it to promotions instead of directly to inboxes and many of our readers did not get to read it.

But enough talk about Wednesday, let’s talk about today.

Today marks a historic moment that's been 128 years in the making.

As I write this, 119 sacred Benin Bronzes are officially being returned to Nigeria at the National Museum in Lagos. The Dutch government is handing over what represents the largest physical return of these priceless artefacts to date. But this isn't just another repatriation story, it's the final chapter of one of history's most spectacular miscalculations.

In 1897, British forces invaded the Kingdom of Benin with the goal of completely erasing of a thriving African civilization. They burned the capital, exiled the Oba and looted an estimated 10,000 sacred objects. (See them in the photo above.) Their goal was to destroy the evidence of African greatness as a way to justify imperial rule.

Yet, they failed spectacularly.

What the colonizers thought was clever strategy became their most damning mistake. By scattering these masterpieces across European museums and private collections, they inadvertently created a global exhibition of their own cultural blindness. Every bronze plaque sold became silent testimony to African genius. Every ivory mask displayed contradicted their propaganda about ‘savage’ peoples.

The technical mastery was undeniable. These weren't crude ‘fetishes’ but sophisticated historical documents all cast in bronze using advanced lost-wax techniques that European smiths had yet to master. The naturalistic figures and intricate compositions rivalled the finest Renaissance sculpture. Even colonial scholars, trapped by their own prejudices, had to acknowledge the remarkable skill on display. However, still blinded by their racism, they performed intellectual contortions to deny that these were indeed created by Africans not Europeans.

The witnesses had begun to speak their truth.

By the early 20th century, the bronzes were conducting their quiet revolution. In museums across Europe and America, they confronted viewers with uncomfortable facts about the ‘primitive’ Africans who had created art surpassing much of medieval European metalwork. The very objects stolen to justify colonialism were becoming its most eloquent critics.

The momentum for repatriation has become unstoppable, driven mostly by the evidence the colonizers themselves preserved through their greed. Germany has returned hundreds of objects. The University of Iowa became the first US museum to return looted Benin bronzes. And now the Netherlands joins this growing tide of justice.

But here's the most delicious irony of all:

While the British Museum still clings to its stolen goods, claiming to be the world's safest guardian of cultural heritage, it has faced embarrassing revelations about missing, stolen and damaged items in its own collection. Nigeria's response was devastating in its simplicity: "It's shocking to hear that the countries and museums telling us the Benin Bronzes are safer with them cannot guarantee the safety of these objects."

In the end, the thieves became the disgraced. The ‘primitive’ art has become the teacher. And the Kingdom of Benin, 125 years after its supposed destruction, stands vindicated by the very treasures meant to erase it.

SimplVest conducted a complete investigation that reveals the shocking details of the 1897 assault, the systematic destruction that followed and how these sacred objects turned their own theft into the most powerful argument for African civilization.

It’s unmissable. We invite you to enjoy!

The SimpVest Team.

How the Looted Benin Bronzes Backfired on the British Empire

In 1897, British forces invaded the Kingdom of Benin. They burned its capital, exiled its king and stole thousands of sacred bronzes, ivories and regalia. Their goal was simple: erase a thriving African civilization to justify imperial rule. Instead, by looting the Benin Bronzes, they accidentally preserved its legacy forever.

The British called it a “punitive expedition.” The Edo people of Benin called it theft. But history has since delivered the final verdict.

This is the story of how Britain’s plunder backfired spectacularly by turning stolen artefacts into global proof of Africa’s artistic genius.

👉 Full Story here: How the Looted Benin Bronzes Backfired on the British Empire

ICYMI: Jumia Vs Konga Rivalry: How It Started And How It Is Going

The Jumia Vs Konga rivalry has been comical, even brutal and entertaining but ultimately transformative.

This is the story of two companies that emerged within months of each other, only to engage in a decade-long struggle that would ultimately shape the trajectory of online retail across Nigeria and Africa.

👉 Full Story here: Jumia Vs Konga Rivalry: How It Started And How It Is Going

From Elsewhere: Meta says your WhatsApp Updates, which houses Status, will now have ads

Meta, the parent company of WhatsApp, has announced that it will start rolling out advertisements on the messaging app, marking a significant shift from the platform’s long-standing ad-free model.

👉 Full Story here: Meta says your WhatsApp Updates, which houses Status, will now have ads

Till Wednesday,

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