By Ozioruva Aliu
Nine months after Governor Monday Okpebholo set up a six man committee headed by Sen Adams Oshiomhole to investigate the controversies that have trailed the Museum of West African Arts (MOWAA), the committee has recommended that the facility should be given to the palace of the Oba of Benin to manage because the original plan was for the government to support the building of a befitting museum to house returned artefacts.
The committee also said that the museum experienced multiple changes of name to surreptitiously convert the facility into a private concern despite the Edo State government spending about N3.8 billion for the project.
Recall that the planned opening of the museum was disrupted in November last year due to the allegation that the true ownership of the museum was unknown and other controversies that greeted the project.
Okpebholo then set up the committee headed by Oshiomhole and other members including General Cecil Esekhaigbe (Rtd.) as Vice Chairman, H.E. Lucky Imasuen, member, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, member, Professor Roland Itoyah Otaru, SAN, member and Barr. Iryn Omorogiuwa, Secretary.
Submitting the report to Governor Okpebholo in the Government House, Oshiomhole noted that the Edo State government under the administration of Godwin Obaseki spent a total of N3.8 billion on the project and severally changed the name of the museum for alleged personal reasons.
He said the sustained efforts and campaign of the Oba of Benin for the return of the Benin stolen artefacts led to the agreement to return the artefacts, noting that it opened the discussion of building a Royal Museum to house the artefacts.
In a statement on Friday by Okpebholo’s Chief Press Secretary, Dr. Patrick Ebojele, Oshiomhole said, “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 naira seed money was raised by the Edo State Government and donations continue to be trickled in.
“The German government donated four million euros, Leventis donated $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 dollars which they claimed was used in acquiring land and engaging in archaeological excavation.
He noted that the investigation revealed that all the claims were false.
The Committee recommended that “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,” Oshiomhole concluded.
While receiving the report from the committee, the governor said he would 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 it to MOWAA. You have done a great job and our ancestors will bless you all,” he said.
The post MOWAA: Oshiomhole committee recommends return of museum to Benin Palace appeared first on Vanguard News.