The monarch made the declaration on Monday while receiving Edo State Governor Monday Okpebholo, the European Union Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Gautier Mignot, and the German Ambassador, Dr. Annett Günther, at his palace. His remarks came a day after hoodlums disrupted a preview event at the museum ahead of its official opening.
Oba Ewuare II, apparently referring to the 1897 British invasion of Benin, lamented that the MOWAA project was being executed in a manner reminiscent of that painful history. He accused former Governor Godwin Obaseki of attempting to sideline the Benin Kingdom in matters concerning its cultural heritage.
“It is like history wanting to repeat itself. My forefathers suffered during the British invasion of 1897, and it is not fair that this is happening again. The documents they brought for me to sign would have taken away our rights to these artifacts, and I refused,” the monarch said.
Governor Okpebholo expressed concern over the lack of transparency surrounding the project, disclosing that he was not informed about the visit of the European envoys to the state for MOWAA-related activities. “I had no prior knowledge of the foreign visit. It is another case of secrecy and lack of transparency that has dogged the MOWAA project from the inception,” he said.
He revealed that his administration had set up a committee to review the entire project and make recommendations, while also expressing surprise over how the museum’s name had evolved from the Benin Royal Museum to the Edo Museum of West African Art (EMOWAA), and later to the Museum of West African Art (MOWAA).
Speaking during the visit, the EU Ambassador said the meeting aimed to strengthen ties with the Benin Palace and foster dialogue. He clarified that while the EU has no direct investment in MOWAA, some member states, including Germany, were involved in the project and the repatriation of over 1,200 Benin Bronzes to Nigeria.
Meanwhile, MOWAA management issued a statement insisting that the institution is independent and non-profit, adding that former Governor Obaseki has no financial or personal interest in its affairs.
