From Tony Osauzo, Benin
The disagreement between the Palace of the Oba of Benin and the Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, over warehousing of looted Benin artifacts due to be returned from abroad soon came to the fore yesterday with a coalition of Benin Socio Cultural Organisations accusing the governor of threatening the peace existing in the Benin Kingdom.
The group alleged that the governor planned to house the artifacts in a proposed Edo Museum of West African Arts (EMOWAA) as against Benin Royal Museum proposed by the Oba of Benin. It also pointed out that the proposal of the governor was a negation of the initial plan of the Benin Palace which he supported and pledged the commitment of the state government in building the structure.
It will be recalled that the governor had last Thursday while addressing participants at a stakeholders’ engagement and unveiling of Phase one of EMOWAA in Benin City, said there was no dispute between the state government and the Palace of the Oba of Benin on the issue of artifacts. But addressing Journalists in Benin yesterday, the Coordinator General of the group, Mr. Osazee Amas- Edobor, flanked by other members of the leadership of the group, said the artifacts belonged to the palace, stressing that it was the rightful place for the works to be returned.
He said: “During the 1897 invasion, the entire Benin people defended that palace and once again the entire Edo race is ready to defend what pertains to that palace and anything contrary to the Benin Royal Museum is tantamount to trying to re-loot the looted artifacts and that will not be allowed.
“Sincerely, we were shocked that His Excellency, Godwin Obaseki asserted that he doesn’t have any issue nor quarrel with our revered Oba of Benin Kingdom whereas when he organised a Stakeholders’ engagement meeting regarding his proposed EMOWAA phase 1, he didn’t involve our revered Palace.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the word EMOWAA is alien to us as Benin people. We also would like to inquire from His Excellency, why he reneged on his earlier promise regarding the Benin Royal Museum in 2018 when he supported the idea of a Benin Royal Museum before the EMOWAA idea came from the blues.
“We had expected His Excellency to be a man of his words because EMOWAA wasn’t what you discussed with our revered Monarch and other prominent Benin Elders in 2018.
“We would like to point out to His Excellency that irrespective of reneging on your words in support of the Benin Royal Museum, we have nothing against your plans to build Museums or set up privately owned ventures like Legacy Restoration Trust LTD, building Museums as long as the Artifacts that will constitute the proposed Museums are not part of the stolen Historical Benin Artifacts”, he added.
Commenting on the development, the Custodian of the Institute of Benin Studies, Peter Obobaifo, said the government had given his own perspective and the governor had declared that there was no dispute between him and the palace.
“But what is clear is that all the returned artifacts and artifacts that are billed to be returned belong to the Oba of Benin. It is indisputable and nobody can lay claim to those artifacts except by the express permission of the Oba of Benin.