IG The Bronze Cockerel at Jesus College in Cambridge has been asked to be taken down

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Nigeria has pleaded with Jesus College to return the rooster named after bishop and architect John Alcock who constructed the college. The bronze statue in Cambridge is from the Nigerian Benin Bronze collection which is thought to date back to the 13th century when many rare pieces were looted by explorers.

REUTERS The Cecil Rhodes statue at Oriel College, Oxford has caused uproar

More than 2,000 sit in museums across the world despite the request of Nigeria to have the artefacts returned to the country’s royal palaces where they once stood. A spokesperson for Jesus College 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.

IG Jesus College, Cambridge, where the bronze cockerel sits

“The request by students is being considered within these processes”. The row has been dubbed the “new Cecil Rhodes” in reference to protests by students at Oriel College, Oxford. They demanded the removal of a statue of controversial figure Rhodes who was seen as a major colonialist icon. But Oriel College claimed after “careful consideration” and an “enormous amount of input” it has decided to keep the figure. Students fighting against the Cecil Rhodes statue are now set to bolster their campaign.

GETTY The campaign on Cecil Rhodes began in South Africa