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The Chairman of the Special Committee on Museum for West Africa Art (MOWAA) and former governor of Edo State, Comrade Sen. Adams Aliu Oshiomhole, on Thursday submitted the report of the committee, whose mandate was to verify the ownership status of the museum.
In the report, Sen. Oshiomhole noted that the Edo State Government, under the administration of Godwin Obaseki, spent a total of N3.8 billion of taxpayers’ money on the MOWAA project, with the name of the museum changed several times for his personal reasons.
The committee chairman said the sustained efforts and campaign of the Oba of Benin for the return of the stolen Benin artefacts led to an agreement to return the artefacts, noting that it opened discussions on building a Royal Museum to house them.
“The Edo State government under Obaseki agreed to provide the funding to build the Benin Royal Museum at the space provided by the Oba of Benin. It was well announced to the delight of all Edo people.
“The Obaseki’s administration took different steps, demolished Central hospital and decided to change the original name of the museum to Edo Museum of West Africa Art (EMOWA) and later to the Museum for West Africa Art (MOWAA)”.
He noted that N800 million in seed money was raised by the Edo State Government and donations continued to trickle in.
“The German government donated four million euros, Leventis $1.5 million dollars and more.
“Five days before the expiration of the Obaseki-led administration, the governor approved and released N1 billion naira. This brought the payment of the Edo State government to N3.8 billion”.
Oshiomhole said the several changes of name made it a completely private enterprise, as MOWAA management agreed to have received over $18 million, which they claimed to have used in acquiring land and engaging in archaeological excavation.
He noted that the investigation revealed that all the claims were false and gave the following recommendations.
“The facility should not be demolished because it can’t be remodeled, the museum is allowed to stay and the facility given a proper name that will reflect the true ownership.
“The name, be changed to Benin Royal Museum of Africa Art. The governor can use the same instrument of government to revert the name. This will attract artifacts from across the globe.
“The museum should be returned to the Oba of Benin to manage it henceforth, as the government comes and goes but the Benin Monarch remains and the artifacts can be protected better by the institutions that own it”, the Committee further recommended.
Receiving the report from the committee, Governor Monday Okpebholo said, “I thank the committee for an excellent job and a comprehensive report submitted today. The quality of the job shows the fairness and seriousness of the job.
“At this point I will set up another committee to enable us to have a white paper on the issue and the committee will liaise with the Ministry of Justice so that the recommendation will be turned into a white paper.
“I watched in a video clip where Obaseki promised to build a Royal Museum to celebrate our Royal father but dramatically changed to MOWAA. You have done a great job and our ancestors will bless you all”, the governor added.
The presentation of the report was witnessed by the Deputy Governor, Rt. Hon. Dennis Idahosa, Secretary to the State Government, Umar Musa Ikhilor Esq., the Attorney General, Prof. Roland Otaru, and other senior government officials.
