The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, has expressed optimism that the Cultural Property Implementation Act (CPIA) Agreement, which was signed by Nigeria and the United States, yesterday, will reduce the pillage of the most populous black nation’s ancient arts.

He spoke when he signed the pact on behalf of the country with the U.S. Ambassador to Nigeria, Mary Beth Leonard, in Abuja.

Also present at the ceremony was the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama.

“This legislation was enacted by the United States to restrict the importation into the U.S. of archeological materials ranging in date from 1500 B.C. to A.D. 1770, as well as ethnological materials, including those associated with royal, religious activities, etc. from nations that have entered into the kind of bilateral initiative that we are signing here with the United States today (yesterday),” he said.

Mohammed said on account of the agreement, Nigerian antiquities, being imported into the U.S. without the requisite export permit, would be seized at the border and returned to Nigeria without the difficult and costly task of going through judicial and diplomatic processes.

He went on: “We are optimistic that this agreement will reduce the pillage of our irreplaceable archeological and ethnological materials, as the market for these materials is being shut in the United States against illicit traffickers.

“The agreement will last for an initial period of five years. If it works well, as we anticipate it will, it shall be renewed for a longer term. We implore other friendly nations to take a cue from the United States and join us in finding means to prevent the illegal importation of our antiquities into their countries.”

The minister said the pact became necessary because of the widespread looting and illicit excavation of these heritages amid concerted to protect them.

He added that the stolen artefacts were mostly smuggled to Europe, U.S. and other places for the benefit of art collectors.

Commending the government of United States, in particular the Embassy of the United States in Nigeria, for making the MoU possible, Mohammed said the Nigerian government looks forward to a diligent implementation of the landmark agreement, so it could become a game changer in the nation’s efforts to prevent the looting of its priceless ancient art works.

In her remarks, the U.S. envoy, Leonard, said the agreement is aimed at preserving, restoring and protecting Nigeria’s cultural heritage.

“In Nigeria, over the past decade, the U.S. Mission has partnered with the Nigerian government and state institutions to preserve cultural landmarks and sites through projects worth over $1 million and funded by the U.S. Ambassador’s Fund for Cultural Preservation.

“Just last November, I signed a grant award to digitally survey the Busanyin Shrine located within the Osun Osogbo Sacred Grove. That $125,000 grant will help document a series of shrines within the Grove and provide training to local professionals in digital tools and cultural heritage management,” she said.