Following sustained controversy over the true ownership and governance structure of the Museum of West African Arts (MOWAA), the Edo State Government has formally taken over the administration of the facility and initiated the process of constituting a new management team to ensure effective and transparent operations.
Speaking on Arise News Prime Time on Monday, monitored by Truth Live News, International London, the Edo State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Prince Kassim Afegbua, stated that the decision became imperative in view of the need for accountability and transparency, especially considering that the state government had contributed approximately ₦3.8 billion of the ₦4 billion required for the project.
According to the Commissioner, “The former administration of Godwin Obaseki was not straightforward from the inception of this project, and the present government is determined to correct the deliberate errors that were embedded in the previous arrangement.”
Commenting on the protest that reportedly disrupted a “preview” event on Sunday—an incident during which diplomats and foreign donors were allegedly embarrassed and escorted out by security personnel—Prince Afegbua said the government could not confirm the identities of those who staged the protest. However, he noted that public dissatisfaction had long been brewing.
In his words, “We are not aware of those who went there to protest, but we are fully aware that Edo people were already upset with the entire arrangement and with the deceitful manner in which the handlers of the project continued to operate.”
He further disclosed that the state government had been informed that the official opening ceremony was scheduled for 11 November, yet foreign donors and diplomats were taken to the venue by 9 a.m. on Sunday without the knowledge or authorization of the governor.
Raising additional concerns, Prince Afegbua questioned the inconsistency in the museum’s official identity:
“There are serious questions regarding this entire museum project. It was initially called the Edo Museum of West African Arts (EMOWAA), and that is the name registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC). All documentation with the government also bears EMOWAA. So where did MOWAA suddenly emerge from, and why was the change effected only four days before the exit of the previous administration?”
The Commissioner emphasised that these and other unresolved issues are now before the fact-finding committee constituted by the governor, which will conduct a thorough review and present its recommendations.
More details to follow…