The Swedish government is set to return 40 sacred artifacts from the Kingdom of Benin to Nigeria, marking one of the largest repatriations of the so-called Benin Bronzes.

Nigerian media report that the artworks are expected to be received by a delegation from the Benin Palace in Lagos today, a development that Oba Ewuare II, the monarch of Benin, described as years in the making. Since ascending to the throne, Ewuare has advocated fiercely for the return of bronze sculptures, ceremonial objects, and ivory carvings—collectively known as the Benin Bronzes—from museum and private collections worldwide, with considerable success.