By Simeon OSAJIE
The Special Committee On Museum for West Africa Art (MOWAA) on Thursday submitted its report to the Executive Governor of Edo State, Senator Monday Okpebholo who mandated the committee to verify the position of the right of ownership status of MOWAA.
This was disclosed in a press statement signed by Dr. Patrick Ebojele, Chief Press Secretary (CPS) to Governor Okpebholo and made available to The9jaTREND in Benin.
In the report, Chairman of the Committee and former governor of the State, Senator Oshiomhole noted that the Edo State government under the administration of Godwin Obaseki spent a total of N3.8 billion of tax payers money on the MOWAA project, severally changing the name of the museum for his personal reasons.
The committee chairman said the sustained efforts and campaign of the Oba of Benin for the return of the Benin stolen artifacts led to the agreement to return the artifacts, noting that it opened the discussion of building a Royal Museum to house the artifacts.
According to him, “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)”.
“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 makes it a completely private enterprise as MOWAA management agreed to have received over $18 million dollars which they claimed to have been used in acquiring land and engaging in archeological excavation.
He noted that investigation revealed that All the claims are 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”. Oshiomhole concluded
While receiving the report from the committee, the governor 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.
He said “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”.
In the audience was the Deputy Governor, Rt. Hon Dennis Idahosa, Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Umar Musa Ikhilor Esq, the Attorney General of the state, Prof. Roland Otaru, and other senior government officials.