Oshiomhole-led committee hands over Edo museum project to Oba of Benin

The Special Committee on the Museum of West African Art, MOWAA, led by former Edo State Governor and Senator representing Edo North, Adams Oshiomhole, has recommended that the museum project be returned to the Oba of Benin for management.

DAILY POST reports that Oshiomhole disclosed this on Thursday, August 20, 2026, while presenting the committee’s report to Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, in Benin City.

The six-member committee was constituted by Governor Okpebholo on November 8, 2025 to investigate the operations, ownership and governance structure of the museum project.

Other members of the committee are Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu; Lucky Imasuen, former Deputy Governor of Edo State; Gen. Cecil Esekhaigbe (rtd); Prof. Roland Otaru; the Edo State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice; and Barr. Iryn Omorogiuwa, who served as secretary.

Presenting the report, Oshiomhole said the committee recommended that the project be returned to the Oba of Benin, stressing that political administrations were temporary while the Benin monarchy remained a permanent institution.

According to him, the museum would be better protected and managed by the institution that owns the cultural heritage it is intended to preserve.

He also recommended that the existing facility should not be demolished but retained and given a name that reflects its ownership.

“The museum is allowed to stay and the facility is given a proper name that will reflect the true ownership.

“The name be changed to Benin Royal Museum of African Art. The governor can use the same instrument of government to revert the name. This will attract artefacts from across the globe,” he said.

Oshiomhole alleged that the administration of former Governor Godwin Obaseki spent N3.8 billion in public funds on the project, while the name of the proposed museum was changed several times.

He said the Oba of Benin’s sustained campaign for the return of stolen Benin artefacts generated renewed discussions about the establishment of a royal museum to preserve and display the returned artefacts.

According to him, the Obaseki administration initially agreed to fund the construction of the Benin Royal Museum on land provided by the Oba of Benin.

He said the project was subsequently altered, including the demolition of the Central Hospital site, while its original name was changed from the proposed Benin Royal Museum to Edo Museum of West Africa Art, EMOWA, to the Museum of West African Art, MOWAA.

Oshiomhole said the Edo State Government provided N800 million as seed funding for the project, while additional donations were received from other sources.

He disclosed that the German government donated four million euros, while the Leventis Foundation contributed $1.5 million, among other donations.

The former governor further disclosed that five days before the expiration of the Obaseki administration, another N1 billion was approved and released for the project, bringing the state’s total expenditure to N3.8 billion.

Oshiomhole also questioned claims by the MOWAA management that it had received more than $18 million, allegedly spent on land acquisition and archaeological excavation.

He said some of the claims did not correspond with the committee’s findings.

The committee further recommended that the existing facility should not be demolished, arguing that it could still be retained and appropriately repurposed.

Responding, Governor Okpebholo commended the committee for what he described as an extensive and thorough investigation.

The governor said the quality of the report demonstrated the committee’s commitment to fairness and due process.

He disclosed that his administration would constitute another committee to prepare a white paper on the recommendations.

“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,” he said.

The governor recalled a video in which former Governor Obaseki had reportedly promised to establish a royal museum in honour of the Oba of Benin before the project was subsequently transformed into MOWAA.

“You have done a great job and our ancestors will bless you all,” he added.