The Chairman of the Special Committee on the Museum for West Africa Art (MOWAA) and former Edo State Governor, Senator Adams Oshiomhole, has submitted the committee’s report on the ownership status and establishment of the museum.
Governor Monday Okpebholo had constituted the committee to investigate the circumstances surrounding the establishment and naming of the museum.
In its report, the committee alleged that the Edo State Government under former Governor Godwin Obaseki spent ₦3.8 billion in taxpayers’ funds on the project.
Oshiomhole, who is also a former National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), said the project originally emerged from efforts to secure a permanent home for Benin artefacts expected to be returned to Nigeria.
According to him, sustained advocacy by the Oba of Benin for the return of stolen Benin artefacts eventually led to an agreement to establish a Royal Museum to house the recovered works.
He said the Obaseki administration initially agreed to fund the construction of the Benin Royal Museum on land provided by the Oba of Benin.
However, Oshiomhole said the administration subsequently demolished the Central Hospital and changed the original name of the project to the Edo Museum of West Africa Art (EMOWA), before it was later renamed the Museum for West Africa Art (MOWAA).
He said the Edo State Government initially provided ₦800 million as seed funding, while additional donations were received from local and international partners.
Oshiomhole said the German government donated €4 million, while Leventis contributed $1.5 million, among other donations.
He added that five days before the end of the Obaseki administration, another ₦1 billion was approved and released for the project, bringing the total payment by the Edo State Government to ₦3.8 billion.
The committee chairman further questioned the ownership structure of MOWAA, arguing that the successive changes to the museum’s name and its management structure had effectively transformed the project into a private enterprise.
He said MOWAA management claimed to have received more than $18 million, which was reportedly used to acquire land and conduct archaeological excavations.
However, Oshiomhole said the committee’s investigation found that the claims were not supported by its findings.
Oshiomhole recommends return of museum to Oba of Benin
The committee recommended that the existing facility should not be demolished, but retained and given a name that properly reflects its ownership.
It proposed that the museum be renamed the Benin Royal Museum of African Art.
The committee also recommended that the museum be returned to the Oba of Benin for management.
Oshiomhole argued that while governments change, the Benin monarchy remains a permanent institution capable of protecting and preserving the artefacts.
He added that returning the museum to the monarch could also help attract artefacts from around the world.
Okpebholo orders preparation of white paper
Receiving the report, Governor Monday Okpebholo commended the committee for what he described as a comprehensive and fair investigation.
The governor said he would constitute another committee to facilitate the preparation of a white paper on the recommendations.
He added that the committee would work with the Ministry of Justice to ensure that the recommendations were properly translated into government policy.
Okpebholo recalled that former Governor Obaseki had initially spoken about building a Royal Museum before the project was subsequently renamed MOWAA.
The governor praised Oshiomhole and members of the committee for their work, saying the findings would help address the controversy surrounding the museum and its ownership.
The event was attended by Deputy Governor Dennis Idahosa, Secretary to the State Government Umar Musa Ikhilor, State Attorney General Roland Otaru and other senior government officials.