Benin Royal House Excluded, Oba Ewuare Speaks As Row Over MOWAA Deepens …Obaseki Defends Self

Tension in Benin Kingdom, Edo State, has continued to escalate as controversy deepens over the ownership, purpose, and planned inauguration of the Museum of West African Arts (MOWAA), earlier scheduled to open on November 11, 2025.
The project, initially linked to the proposed Benin Royal Museum, has faced intense scrutiny following revelations that it evolved from the Edo Museum of West African Arts (EMOWAA) into MOWAA. The shift in identity and questions surrounding funding, governance, and the museum’s relationship with the Benin Palace have generated widespread debate among cultural advocates, political actors, and traditional institutions.
The museum, built on a portion of the former Benin Central Hospital land, is widely admired for its architectural excellence. However, concerns heightened after reports emerged that international donors, including the German government, contributed significantly to the project. Germany had earlier returned nearly 1,000 looted Benin artefacts and reportedly contributed €900 million toward heritage-related initiatives.
No official explanation was given for the transition from EMOWAA to MOWAA, but in 2023, the Director of Pavilion, Research and Collections, Ore Disu, explained that the institution had developed into a world-class, non-governmental, non-profit centre for West African art and heritage conservation.
Barely a month ago, the Edo State House of Assembly announced an investigation into the MOWAA project and the Radisson Blu Hotel project, following a request from the state government. Speaker Blessing Agbebaku said an ad hoc committee would examine transparency, financing, and ownership claims surrounding the museum.
Last week, protests erupted across Benin City, with demonstrators drawn from various Benin socio-cultural organisations calling for the suspension of the proposed inauguration. Led by Comrade Osazee Amas-Edobor, the group argued that the museum is still under legislative review and that proceeding with any commissioning without state and royal approval would be disrespectful to Benin heritage.
The protesters marched to the Palace of the Oba of Benin, the State Assembly, and Government House. Responding, Governor Monday Okpebholo assured them that no cultural symbol or property belonging to Benin people would be compromised.
Despite the tension, MOWAA held a private preview for diplomats, filmmakers, and tourists on November 9. Director Philip Ihenacho told guests that the formal opening would now hold next year.
However, the preview was disrupted when protesting youths stormed the premises chanting pro-Oba songs. Police Commissioner Monday Agbonika intervened to restore order, and visitors were escorted out through an alternative route.
The controversy reached a new height on Monday when the Oba of Benin, His Royal Majesty Oba Ewuare II, paid an unusual visit to the Government House. While congratulating Okpebholo on his legal victories, the monarch expressed shock at the MOWAA project, accusing former Governor Godwin Obaseki of altering the original vision of the Benin Royal Museum without his knowledge.
The Oba said Obaseki initially pledged to collaborate on efforts to retrieve stolen artefacts but later sidelined the palace. He alleged that his eldest son was co-opted into what he described as a “conspiracy” to give donors the impression that the palace endorsed the Legacy Restoration Trust and the EMOWAA/MOWAA project.
Oba Ewuare further claimed that agreements were signed in his name without his approval and that donors were misled into believing that returned artefacts would be housed at MOWAA.
He urged the state government to ensure a full investigation into the source of funding and ownership of the structure, insisting that donors view MOWAA as the Benin Royal Museum and that it should remain so.
Governor Okpebholo later announced the revocation of the land on which MOWAA was built and inaugurated a committee headed by former Governor Adams Oshiomhole to engage stakeholders and determine the way forward.
Speaking after receiving European envoys, including the EU and German ambassadors, Okpebholo said he had no formal briefing on the project and described the controversy as the result of limited transparency under the previous administration.
In response, former Governor Godwin Obaseki defended the project in an online interview, describing MOWAA as a transformational cultural and economic investment.
He dismissed the allegations against him as politically motivated misconceptions, insisting that the project was conceived as a world-class, non-profit heritage centre capable of attracting global partnerships.
Obaseki said Edo State’s financial contribution was minimal compared to donor investments and maintained that all processes during his administration were transparent.
He argued that MOWAA was designed not for private profit but as a catalyst for cultural scholarship, tourism, and job creation, stressing that the world was moving toward culture-led development and that Edo State could not remain behind.
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