Benin City Benin City was one of the most important cities of West Africa until the British came along. They looted the town and took 2000 bronze statues back to Britain. Today Benin City is still a very pretty city. It is still an improtant center for traditional art, see for example the statues in the Okada House. The National Museum in the centre still has a few good pieces of the traditional statues but they are not as good as those in the British Museum. Furthermore there is an Oba Palace and a few good art galleries. The museum near circular road is totally obsolete and the presentation of the pieces is dramatically insufficient. When NEPA does not cut the electricty you still wonder why you can hardly admire or just see anything. Bring a torchlight and low expectations . I was there january 2004. George Hendriks
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