Nigeria should tell Unesco that we are happy to have these Afghan Buddhas and would accept the $1.3bn offered for their restoration

Ayo Akinfe

[1] As you all know in 2001, the Taliban blew up the two Buddhas of Bamiyan that had been tourist attractions for centuries. Although Afghanistan no longer has a Buddhist community, the smaller 38 m Eastern Buddha was built around 570 AD and the larger 55 m Western Buddha was built around 618 AD. They were both huge tourist attractions generating income for the government

[2] As a nation, we have to learn to cash in on opportunities when presented. After World War Two, the US, Argentina, Australia and to a lesser extent the Soviet Union, offered citizenship to all the German geniuses, scientists and engineers who made Hitler prosper. In fact, the US build its Nasa project using former Nazi scientists and technology. Nigeria has got to learn to do likewise

[3] Even the the Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC) condemned the Taliban decision to destroy the Buddhas in 2001, describing it as savage. There is no reason why Nigerian Muslims and Christians should object to historical monuments being located in the country

[4] Although India never recognised the Taliban regime in Afghanistan, New Delhi offered to arrange for the transfer of all the artifacts in question to India, where they would be kept safely and preserved for all mankind. These overtures were rejected by the Taliban

[5] Similarly, Pakistan’s President Pervez Musharraf sent a delegation led by his interior minister Moinuddin Haider to Kabul to meet with the then Taliban leader Mullah Omar Mohammed to try to prevent the destruction of the Buddhas, arguing that it was un-Islamic and unprecedented

[6] Mr Haider quoted a verse from the Koran that said Muslims should not slander the gods of other religions. He cited many cases in history, especially in Egypt, where Muslims had protected the statues and art of other religions.

[7] At the time, the Japanese proposed a variety of different solutions to the issue. These included moving the statues to Japan, covering them from view and the payment of money to keep them. All overtures were rejected by the Taliban

[8] In 2013, the foot section of the smaller Buddha was rebuilt with iron rods, bricks and concrete by the German branch of the International Council on Monuments and Sites. With the Taliban now in power, no doubt, the statues are likely to be blown up again

[9] It is time for Nigeria to enter the fray and offer to have these statues transferred to somewhere in Naija. We can carve them into Olumo Rock, Idanre Hills, Udi Hills, Shere Hills or Chappal Waddi

[10] One person who actually appreciated the value of monuments was Rochas Okorocha who tried to build statue parks across Imo State. Maybe we should put him in charge of the project. Just imagine how many tourists this will attract and the amount of revenue it would generate for Nigeria