Since Nigeria’s independence from Britain, over 50 years ago, their government has asked for the return of various artefacts – but so far with little success.

From:
Modern Ghana

EXCELLENCE AND ERUDITION: EKPO EYO’S MASTERPIECES OF NIGERIAN ART
Author: Kwame Opoku, Dr.
Feature Article | Sun, 16 Jan 2011

For many of us, the name Ekpo Eyo has come to stand for excellence and erudition. The first Director-General of the Nigerian Commission for Museums and Monuments, has produced several articles and books of the highest quality on Nigerian art, and his recent book, From Shrines to Showcases: Masterpieces of Nigerian Art, (2010, Federal Ministry of Information and Communication, Abuja) is no exception. It is a masterpiece in its own right.

After an introduction to Nigerian art that gives the historical background of the arts and archaeological art, the introduction deals with accounts of discoveries and examines issues in the preservation and conserving of Nigerian cultural heritage. I enjoyed thoroughly Eyo’s discussion on what art is and the early Western views of African art as well as the topic of primitivism, tribality and universalism:
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