The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Netherlands

  • Netherlands and the Benin Bronzes

    Netherlands and the Benin Bronzes

    Last Tuesday, The Netherlands signed an agreement with Nigeria to return some 119 Benin Bronzes looted in 1897 when the British sacked the Kingdom of Benin in present day Nigeria. Some of the artefacts – figurines, tusks, sculptures of Benin’s rulers, and an ivory mask made between the 15th and 19th Centuries – ended up in Dutch Museums. In the agreement signed to return the over 100 items, there was no reference to their being stolen. It is, however, reassuring that after more than a century, the priceless materials are being returned to Nigeria. About three years ago, Germany became the first European country to return some 20 looted Benin Bronzes to Nigeria.

    Britain has over 900 looted Nigerian artefacts it has continued to retain, citing some unjustifiable excuses. It is shocking how any country in the 21st century, let alone Britain, can defend stealing under any guise, whether by Empire or by pirates and soldiers of fortune. They may fear that the artefacts will not be treated with the same sophistication and aplomb they are capable of, but nothing justifies the crime of looting or rationalises the argument that the original owners could not be trusted to handle such priceless items with care? Indeed, inexplicably, Britain last April returned some 20 artefacts looted from Ghana in 1874 and 1896 on the condition that the deal would be a long-term loan to Ghana, the original owners. Nigeria will not agree to any such loan deal should it ever be contemplated.

    Read Also: Netherlands to return 119 looted Benin bronzes to Nigeria

    By returning looted artefacts, Netherlands and Germany are coming to terms with their dark colonial past. Until Britain is named and shamed, they will continue to hide behind a nebulous British Museum Act of 1963 that forbids the return of stolen artefacts except in special circumstances to perpetuate centuries-old crime. It is time Nigeria pressed harder to get its looted artefacts back. There is no justification for any country to hold on to property stolen from another country. Had the shoe been on the other foot, Britain would have raised hell to get its property back.

  • Netherlands to return 119 looted Benin bronzes to Nigeria

    Netherlands to return 119 looted Benin bronzes to Nigeria

    Nigeria is expecting the repatriation of 119 looted Benin bronzes from the Netherlands.

    The Federal Government had made a formal request for the repatriation of the artefacts, which were looted during the British attack on Benin Kingdom in 1897 and they found their way to the Netherlands.

    The repatriation agreement, The Nation learnt, would be signed today between both countries.

    Of the 119 objects being returned, 113 of them were among the Dutch State Collection, while the remaining six were returned by the Municipality of Rotterdam.

    The signing ceremony took place at the Wereldmuseum in Leiden, the Netherlands, where the Benin bronzes were previously displayed.

    Dutch Minister of Education, Culture and Science, Mr. Eppo Bruins, and the Director-General of the National Commission for Museums and Monuments (NCMM), Olugbile Holloway, signed for their countries.

    A statement by Anneloes Hoff of the Embassy of the Kingdom of The Netherlands said the artefacts are expected to arrive later this year, according to the agreement. 

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    The statement reads: “The Netherlands will return 119 Benin Bronzes to Nigeria, following a request from the Nigerian government. The transfer agreements were signed today by the Dutch Minister of Education, Culture and Science and the Director-General of the National Commission for Museums and Monuments (NCMM).

    “The objects are expected to arrive in Nigeria later this year. The restitution underscores the strong partnership between The Netherlands and Nigeria.

    The Netherlands is returning the Benin Bronzes unconditionally, recognising that the objects were looted during the British attack on Benin City in 1897 and should have never ended up in The Netherlands.

  • Lagos, Netherlands partner on coastal zone management

    Lagos, Netherlands partner on coastal zone management

    Lagos State Commissioner for Waterfront Infrastructure Development, Yacoob Alebiosu, is hopeful the partnership with Netherlands will boost coastal zone management in Lagos.

      Alebiosu hosted the delegation from Netherlands, led by Consular-General Michel Deelen,  at the weekend.  

     It was a continuation of discussions on potential collaboration in managing Lagos coastline.

     The meeting explored opportunities for cooperation in water management, coastal protection and sustainable development.

    Read Also: Lagos community celebrates as Leo youngsters bail them out of water challenge

     Lagos grapples with erosion in communities.

     previous visit, the commissioner said the state is actively working to counter this challenges with the introduction of new and cost-effective technology in other countries, including some in Africa.

    The commissioner highlighted efforts to support communities along the coastline, acknowledging that while erosion is a natural occurrence, mitigation measures are essential. According to him, reclamation and protection of these villages, though expensive, are priorities.

  • Netherlands face tough test against fired-up Turkey

    Netherlands face tough test against fired-up Turkey

    A routine 3-0 win for Netherlands over Romania at Euro 2024 was overshadowed hours later by a tenacious Turkish victory over Austria to set up an enthralling quarter-final in Berlin tomorrow.

    With the Dutch dominating possession against Romania and Turkey happy to let Austria have the ball and hit them on the counter, Berlin’s Olympiastadion is likely to see more of the same, with plenty of young talent on display.

    The Olympic Games should be an economic boon for any city hosting it, as visitors flock to the event.

    Turkey’s Arda Guler has played with a maturity far beyond his 19 years, displaying calm and skill as he acts as an outlet for his side’s counters and he provided an assist for the second goal against Austria.

    Dutch winger Xavi Simons had a similar effect for his side, creating the opener for Cody Gakpo against the Romanians from his position on the right wing.

    Although the Dutch appear to be finally finding their groove, Turkish fans in Germany are in a frenzy at the thought of a repeat of Euro 2008, where they made the semi-finals.

    Read Also: Ces’t  Fini-di :  NFF set to hire foreign  technical adviser for Super Eagles  

    Berlin boasts one of the largest Turkish diasporas in the world, and their 2-1 win over Austria in Leipzig was greeted by flag-waving fans and horn-tooting cars taking to the city’s streets until the early hours.

    “We’ve got huge following. There’s passion and the love is really visceral back home in Turkey, so I’m very happy to have handed Turks a bit of pride,” coach Vincenzo Montella said of his side’s progress so far.

    With single yellow cards written off after the quarter-finals, Turkey have nine players who will have to tread carefully as another booking would rule them out of a semi-final should they win. The Dutch have four players in the same position.

    Turkey will be without the suspended Orkun Kokcu and Ismael Yuksek, but they receive a major boost with the return of captain Hakan Calhanoglu who was banned from the Austria game.

    Euro 2008 was also the last time the Dutch made the quarter-finals, and they have come through the ignominy of a 3-2 loss to the Austrians that left them third in their group.

    “We learned our lessons from the Austria game. We had a lot of conversations last week. I think we did very well, especially in the pressing, especially in ball possession,” defender Denzel Dumfries said.

    The winners tomorrow  will meet England or Switzerland in the last four.

  • Firm gets $63m from Netherlands

    Firm gets $63m from Netherlands

    The Government of the Netherlands, through its Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in a significant boost to global trade development, has announced a $63 million funding to TradeMark Africa, an aid-for-trade organisation.

    This strategic investment will fuel TradeMark Africa’s Strategy 3, covering the period till 2030, aimed at driving green, sustainable economic growth, fostering innovative trade practices, and promoting inclusive trade across Africa. This move underscores the Netherlands’ commitment to enhancing economic opportunities, job creation and facilitating sustainable trade throughout the continent.

    Ambassador for Business and Development Cooperation at Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Marchel Gerrmann, said: “TradeMark Africa will significantly contribute to a more inclusive and prosperous trade landscape for the African continent, benefitting both African and Dutch businesses.”

    The Netherlands’ contribution will be invested in strengthening trade systems so that they benefit local exporters, foster economic growth, and create sustainable livelihoods across diverse sectors.

    Read Also: EFCC quizzes ex-Gov Ahmed over alleged diversion of N10bn

    This investment will be instrumental in improving market access for local products at the global level, in addition to bolstering initiatives that drive innovation, research, and development within the African market, enhancing competitiveness and green trading practices. As part of its Africa Strategy, the Netherlands contributes towards the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

    The AfCFTA is expected to boost intra-African trade over 30 per cent by 2045 and is projected to provide an average extra 2.7per cent GDP boost across the continent. The AfCFTA could lift 30 million Africans out of poverty by 2035, offering market opportunities to both African and Dutch businesses.

  • Lagos, Netherlands partner to check coastal erosion

    Lagos, Netherlands partner to check coastal erosion

    Lagos State has applauded the readiness of the Kingdom of Netherlands to partner it to check the erosion ravaging its coastal areas.

    The Commissioner for Waterfront Infrastructure Development, Ekundayo Alebiosu, at the weekend, hosted a trade delegation from the Netherlands, led by the Consular-General, Michel Deleen. The delegation said it was ready to invest in Makoko, Okunde, Okun Ajah, and other Lagos coastal areas.

    According to Alebiosu, coastal erosion can lead to loss of land and property, as well as endanger lives. He noted that Netherlands has been dealing with the challenge for a long time, given that the land is below sea level.

    The Dutch have however embraced numerous modern techniques to keep water at bay, he noted. Alebiosu added that the partnership would assist the government in checking the surging erosion in Okunde, Lekki, Okun Ajah areas.

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    The commissioner also assured the Dutch delegation that his team is working on a masterplan, an improvement on the current Waterfront Masterplan, which would accommodate concerns of all stakeholders, and also help investors know the areas to key into.

    Deleen said the delegation was there to see ways of partnering the Lagos State government towards checking coastal erosion, especially around Makoko and the Atlantic Ocean.

    He expressed concerns about the sea surge causing environmental crisis, and enquired about the state policy on waterfront and coastal areas, to see how they can key into the plan, as well as partner on the Great Wall of Lagos project. He, therefore, proposed a PPP model, with which Lagos and the Netherlands can work to check the erosion ravaging the coastal areas.

  • Netherlands to support Nigeria on Ogoni clean-up, says envoy

    The Netherlands Ambassador to Nigeria, Ms. Marion Kappeyne, yesterday pledged her country’s readiness to support the Federal Government to clean-up decades-long oil spills in Ogoniland, Rivers State.

    Ms. Kappeyne spoke in Ebube while inspecting ongoing remediation of one of the polluted sites in Ebube community, Eleme Local Government Area of the state.

    According to her, the clean-up project was one of the Federal Government’s top priorities that needed the support of all.

    She said: “I came to see things for myself rather than sitting in Abuja and just reading them in the newspapers. This part of the country (Niger Delta) is very important, and so, we are following things up to ensure the clean-up is a success.”

    She expressed confidence that the clean-up would be carried out in line with global best-practice due to collaboration and supervision of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).

    The envoy said: “The people are assured that they are not forgotten, as we came to see how we can support the clean-up.

    “I understand the impatience as people want to see results in cleaning up of their lands. I can see that work is ongoing and hopefully it will produce results soon.

    “However, it will be of no one’s interest that the lands which are being remediated get re-contaminated again.”

    Also speaking, the UNEP representative to Nigeria, Mike Cowing, said the global body was satisfied with biological processes being carried out in the Ebube remediation site.

    He said the Federal Government had re-engaged UNEP to strengthen  the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project  (HYPREP)  for full implementation of the 2011 UNEP recommendations.

    Cowing said: “The Ebube site is a site that is going to be less complex. When we move to the heavily contaminated sites, then we will face a more sophisticated remediation approach. For site of this nature, what I am seeing now is appropriate and in line with what I had expected.”

    Cowing said UNEP had not only initiated some training courses, but taken members of the clean-up governing council to the United Kingdom (UK) for training.

    Read also: Ogoni Clean-up: Paramount ruler urges FG to mobilise contractors

    He said: “We took them to the UK to expose them to large remediation projects in the UK, so that they would have an understanding of how projects are done.

    “The council members were exposed to the technology, planning, contractual relationship as well as compliance to legislation.”

    Dr. Marvin Dekil, Project Coordinator of HYPREP, said contractors handling the clean-up were already using one of the best soil treatment technologies, biocell, for the project.

    According to him, biocell was a biological treatment facility that remedies contaminated soil with use of natural micro-organisms.

    He said: “The contaminated soil is excavated and put into the biocell for bio-remediation treatment to take place. This allows the natural micro-organism to degrade the contaminated soil.

    “The micro-organism degrades the contaminated soil to a level that would be good enough for us to return the soil back to where we took it from.”

    Dekil said the clean-up was the first time the Federal Government would be undertaking such task and, as such, was taking practical steps to ensure its success.

    HYPREP was set up by the Federal Government in the Ministry of Environment to coordinate the clean-up of the polluted Ogoniland.

  • ‘Ogoni cleanup is the largest in the World’

    The Dutch on Wednesday described Ogonis cleanup as the largest in the history of the world.
    The Ambassador Royal Kingdom of Netherlands to Nigeria,  Robert Petri made the observation when he visited the corporate office of the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP), in Port Harcourt,  the Rivers State capital, on Wednesday.
    Petrified noted that the Nigerian Government is making history with the clean up of Ogoni land, stressing that “the remediation of Ogoni land stands as the largest clean up project carried out in the history of the world.”
    He was on a fact finding mission to HYPREP, he advised the Federal Government(FG),  to ensure the clean up proper begins before the 2019 elections.
    He stressed that it is important that the exercises kicks off before the elections,  noting that the project has generated wide publicity, both locally and internationally,  and that the world is watching, waiting to see the project begins, and that the success of the project will attract global applauds.

    Read Also: Ogoni Cleanup to commence this month

     “This is a large project, even the largest clean up in the whole world. Nigeria is making history with this project. It will set example worldwide.
    “Your emphasis on community engagement is commendable. The problem here is that things take a long time, so, you have to keep engaging the people.
    “Things are really happening in Ogoni clean up, although, they are brightly not visible. On this project ensure the independence of HYPREP.
    “It is extremely an important project. I hope that you start the clean up proper before the elections start because the whole world is watching.“ he acknowledged.
    In his reaction,  the Head, Project Coordination, HYPREP, Dr. Marvin Dekil, noted that the office is ready to commence the project anytime soon, adding that 21 companies have been cleared and ready to be mobilized to site to commence the clean up.
    Dekil said the 21 companies have been approved to take part in the clean up, having completed and scaled through the entire procurement process.
    He added that HYPREP has completed community, technical preparations and compliance to all procurement acts, adding that it has not imposed anything on the area of livelihood on the community.

  • Air Peace deepens maintenance reputation

    …… Seals aircraft spares deal with Embraer

    Air Peace has demonstrated the premium it places on safety and maintenance of its fleet as it has signed a multi-year aircraft spare parts deal with plane maker, Embraer.
    The deal, the airline confirmed in a statement, would cover more than 250 components for the six Embraer 145 jets it recently added to its fast-growing fleet in line with its drive to connect unserved and underserved domestic and regional routes under its subsidiary, Air Peace Hopper.
    The deal was unveiled at the ongoing MRO Europe 2018 summit in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Air Peace currently has the biggest fleet of Embraer 145 jets on the West Coast of Africa.

    Read Also: Air Peace receives fifth Embraer regional jet

    Air Peace Chief Operating Officer, Mrs. Oluwatoyin Olajide described the deal as a guarantee of “efficiency and competitive results”.
    She said: “The Pool and EPEP+ Programs are natural fit and the best options as they offer sensible, cost effective and practical parts solution to our business, guaranteeing efficiency and competitive results. We recognise very good performance of Embraer’s services and support.”

  • Lion cub found by jogger in Netherlands

    A jogger running through a field in the central Netherlands got a surprise on Sunday when an abandoned lion appeared on the route.

    The cub – which is believed to be four months old – was found in a small cage outside of Utrecht.

    It was taken to the Lion Foundation in the northern Netherlands after being examined by a vet, according to public broadcaster NOS.

    Local police have made a public appeal for information on its owner.

    It was certainly not business as usual for a force on patrol in Tienhoven, a village about 10km (6 miles) to Utrecht’s north.

    On Twitter, they wrote: “This morning, colleagues received a very peculiar report in Tienhoven. Seen or heard anything?”

    Vet Peter Klaver told RTL Nieuws that he was shocked when he arrived at the scene.

    “I have travelled all over the world to stun animals, even lions and tigers, but I’ve never experienced anything like this,” he said.

    He found the cage was not very sturdy and said the cub could have escaped.

    “But in the end it was possible to put the lion, the cage and everything into the car, so it wasn’t necessary to stun it.”

    Police said they wanted to hear from “anybody who had recently bought a lion” or anyone who could help with information about this particular cub.