Students at a Cambridge University college have voted that a bronze cockerel that stands in its hall should be repatriated to Africa, from where it was looted in the 19th century.

Firing the opening shots in a campaign that echoes a drive by Oxford students to remove a statue of Cecil Rhodes, the Jesus College student union (JCSU) has passed a motion saying that the sculpture should be handed over to Nigeria in a repatriation ceremony.

Bronze statue of Benin cockerel in Jesus College, Cambridge Photograph: web

The cockerel – known properly as “okukor”, according to the students – was among hundreds of artworks taken from the Benin empire, now part of modern-day Nigeria, after a punitive British naval expedition in 1897 that brought the empire to an end. In the same way that Greece has pursued the return of the Parthenon marbles, Nigeria has repeatedly called for all the Benin bronzes – which it says are part of its cultural heritage – to be repatriated.

According to a report by Cambridge’s student newspaper, Varsity, the proposal that students voted on said: “The contemporary political culture surrounding colonialism and social justice, combined with the university’s global agenda, offers a perfect opportunity for the college to benefit from this gesture.”

The proposal was unanimously carried. But concerns were raised that not enough black students had been consulted on the issue and that the proposal document sought to emphasise the benefit to the college of such a move.

Ore Ogunbiyi, the JCSU racial equalities officer who has been working on the proposal to repatriate the cockerel, wrote on her blog: “Although our proposal faced some opposition, we are hopefully on our way to take this cockerel home! We are almost positive we have the support of college and it’s quite nice to see Jesus setting a precedent and taking steps in the right direction to weed out the colonial legacies that exist in bits of the university. We still have a lot of work to do with logistics and the rest, but how exciting and momentous and revolutionary is this?! What a time to be a Jesuan.”

As well as occupying pride of place in Jesus’s hall, the sculpture is of particular significance because the cockerel is a symbol of the college, featuring three times on its crest in deference to its founder, John Alcock, then bishop of Ely.

As well as looting art, the British killed thousands and set the city of Benin ablaze during the 1897 expedition, which led to the annexation of the kingdom. The mission was intended to avenge the deaths of nine officers during a previous trade mission to Benin.

The British were said to be astonished that a civilisation they considered primitive could be responsible for the Benin bronzes. Most of the bronzes in the UK are housed in the British Museum, although some were sold in the 1950s and 60s.

A Cambridge University spokesman said: “Recognising that ethical issues are of great importance, Jesus College has structures in place through which these matters can be raised by its members. The request by students is being considered within these processes.”

Last month, Oriel College, Oxford, said it would not remove the statue of Rhodes, despite a campaign by students who said it celebrated the British imperialist’s legacy.