In February 1897, British troops launched a ‘Punitive Expedition’ on the Kingdom of Benin, swiftly and violently destroying much of Benin City and pillaging thousands of royal artworks and sacred objects.  Many of the Benin Bronzes are now in the British Museum; the rest are scattered across Europe and America in private collections and museums. The Edo people have requested these artefacts back but most of the museums have staunchly refused.  

I will be reading the poem sequence Fuck/Empire, about one such artefact, a tusk, now housed at the Manchester Museum. He will then be joined by Nigerian artist Victor Ehikhamenor, Pitt Rivers Museum Curator and author of The Brutish Museums Dan Hicks and Manchester Museum Director Esme Ward in conversation with writer and broadcaster Afua Hirsch to discuss the history, the legacy and the thorny issue of restitution. 

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