By Jethro Ibileke
Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, on Monday led a delegation comprising the Head of the European Union Delegation to Nigeria and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Ambassador Gautier Mignot, and the German Ambassador to Nigeria, Annette Günther, to the Benin Monarch, Oba Ewuare II, over the crisis rocking the construction of the Museum of West African Art (MOWAA).
The peace meeting followed an alleged attack on workers and officials of the museum by Benin youths on Sunday, November 9, 2025, during the preview ceremony of the museum.
Speaking at the meeting, the Benin Monarch expressed surprise at how the former Governor, Godwin Obaseki, allegedly changed the initial name of the museum from the Benin Royal Museum to the Edo Museum of West African Art, and finally to the Museum of West African Art (MOWAA), which he said was already gazetted.
The monarch stated that Governor Okpebholo had informed him that he showed the European delegation and the German Ambassador a video in which former Governor Obaseki promised to build the Benin Royal Museum.
He alleged that the former governor deceived donor agencies and the German government to collect funds for the construction of the museum.
The Oba further alleged that Obaseki became angry with him because he refused to sign documents that would have mortgaged the rights of the palace and the Benin people over their ancestral artifacts.
“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.
“My father and I… Please, I think they will give you the speech I delivered in the governor’s office. Everything is also there to study. You will know from the video that Governor Obaseki came over there. They collected money from donors—national donors, the Germans—to build the Benin Royal Museum. Why change the name? Change to a different name, a different structure,” he said.
He, however, urged the foreign visitors to cooperate with the Edo State Government in resolving the crisis, noting that the governor had already set up a committee to investigate the operations and governance structure of the museum.
According to him, “I want to tell you that Governor Okpebholo is already looking into the issue, and I want to appeal to you to cooperate with the government and allow it to do its job.”
The Oba, however, described Sunday’s protest as unfortunate and regrettable.
In an interview, the Head of the European Union Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Gautier Mignot, said the visit was to engage more deeply and strengthen partnership and cooperation with the state government and the Benin Palace.
Mignot stated that, although the European Union is not directly involved in the MOWAA project, some of its member states, particularly Germany, are.
“And we also touched upon the issue of the Museum of West African Art, where we were yesterday, some of us.
“You know that some unfortunate incidents occurred then, and we wanted very much to have His Royal Majesty’s views on this. He shared them with us, and I think we all exchanged in a spirit of dialogue and partnership, which is the spirit in which we want to take this matter—and all other matters—further,” he added.
On her part, the German Ambassador to Nigeria, Annette Günther, said her country exchanged views on several areas of cooperation with Edo State.
Günther noted that, as part of the cooperation, Germany had returned 1,200 Benin bronzes to the Nigerian government.
She also listed other areas of collaboration with Edo State, including the construction of skills development centres, centres for migration development, and the training of 450 young Edo youths in information technology and cultural cooperation.
She said the graduation ceremony for the 450 youths would be held soon in the state.
“So we’re very proud of that move by our government. A number of those bronzes have already been returned, and they are here in Benin City with the National Commission for Museums and Monuments, with more to come.
“That’s why we are very much looking forward to continuing our cooperation with the NCMM, the state government, and the palace, and with His Royal Majesty, the Oba, on the further return of all those bronzes.”
On the MOWAA project, Günther said Germany was proud to be a partner and sponsor of the museum, noting that it was not only a museum but also a campus and a centre for celebrating Nigerian and Benin heritage and culture.
She explained that the project was designed to make heritage, culture—both old and contemporary—available to the people of Benin City and to foreign visitors.
The German Ambassador added that the facility would be an enormous attraction for tourism, industry, investors, researchers, and architects.
While regretting Sunday’s incident, she noted that “this wonderful place of cherishing heritage and culture can only exist and flourish if there is a peaceful environment.
“But we are looking forward to a peaceful future of EMOWAA and to the normal operation of MOWAA, which I hope to see myself.
“I was not there yesterday morning, but we are very happy to be here. There are many things that Germany, Nigeria, and the people of Edo State can be proud of together and can celebrate together,” she said.
In his remarks, Governor Okpebholo said a committee had been set up to investigate all the issues surrounding the museum.
He assured that the committee’s report would be fair to all parties.
Leave a Reply