A special committee set up by the Edo State Government to probe the ownership and funding of the Museum for West African Art (MOWAA) has submitted its report, recommending that the facility be renamed and returned to the Oba of Benin for management.
The chairman of the committee, who is also a former Governor of Edo State, Adams Oshiomhole, submitted the report on Thursday to Governor Monday Okpebholo at the Government House in Benin.
According to the report, the Godwin Obaseki administration spent a total of ₦3.8 billion on the project, with several changes to the museum’s name in the process.
Presenting the findings, Oshiomhole said the initial plan was to build a Benin Royal Museum on a piece of land provided by the Oba of Benin, following sustained campaigns for the return of stolen Benin artefacts.
“The Edo State government under Obaseki agreed to provide the funding to build the Benin Royal Museum on the space provided by the Oba of Benin. It was well announced to the delight of all Edo people,” Oshiomhole said.
He added that the administration later demolished the Central Hospital and changed the name first to Edo Museum of West African Art, EMOWAA, and then to Museum for West African Art, MOWAA.
The committee noted that ₦800 million was raised as seed money by the state government, while donations came in from partners including the German government, which donated 4 million euros, and the Leventis Foundation with $1.5 million.
“Five days before the expiration of the Obaseki-led administration, the governor approved and released ₦1 billion. This brought the payment of the Edo State government to ₦3.8 billion,” Oshiomhole said.
The committee chairman said MOWAA management claimed to have received over $18 million, which they said was used for land acquisition and archaeological excavations.
“Investigation revealed that all the claims are false,” Oshiomhole said, adding that the frequent name changes had turned the project into “a completely private enterprise.”
The panel made three major recommendations:
1. The facility should not be demolished, as it can still be remodelled.
2. The name should be changed to ‘Benin Royal Museum of Africa Art’ to reflect true ownership and attract artefacts from across the globe.
3. The museum should be returned to the Oba of Benin to manage, noting that “government comes and goes, but the Benin Monarch remains, and the artefacts can be protected better by the institutions that own them.”
“The governor can use the same instrument of government to revert the name. This will attract artefacts from across the globe,” the Committee Chairman added.
Receiving the report, Governor Monday Okpebholo commended the committee for an excellent job and a comprehensive report.
“I watched a video clip where Obaseki promised to build a Royal Museum to celebrate our Royal father but dramatically changed it to MOWAA. You have done a great job, and our ancestors will bless you all,” the governor said.
Okpebholo announced that another committee would be set up to produce a white paper on the matter, in liaison with the Ministry of Justice.
Those who attended the meeting were the Deputy Governor, Dennis Idahosa; the Secretary to the State Government, Umar Ikhilor; the Attorney General, Roland Otaru; and other senior government officials.
The controversy over MOWAA has been central to debates about the repatriation and custodianship of Benin artefacts, with the palace insisting that returned artefacts must be housed in a Royal Museum under the Oba’s authority.