Former governor of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki, has denied allegations that he was a Trustee of the Museum of West African Art (MOWAA) in Benin City.
The former governor, who claimed he never accompanied MOWAA to solicit for funds from donors, said he only provided enabling environment for the investment to succeed.
Obaseki, who spoke during a live online interview, monitored by LEADERSHIP, explained that his administration never set out to build any museum but to make Edo earn revenue through culture and creative art the investment.
Insisting that the Benin Royal Museum was part of the plan to build a cultural district, including the MOWAA Institute in Benin City, Obaseki said he never scammed the Oba of Benin, Oba Ewuare II.
According to him, “Oba Erediauwa had a foresight. He set up a team to start negotiating return of the artefacts. This conversations started long before I became governor. When I became a governor, I asked why are we not making progress we were supposed to make. We came in to intervene between the Palace and the federal government.”
“The state government was involved because Abuja is far away. Between 2017 and 2018, we attended meetings to start to understand what the issues were. In October 2018, I attended a meeting of the Benin Dialogue Group, the NCMM and representatives of the Oba of Benin led by Prof. Gregory Akenzua.
“At the meeting, we were told the works were fragile but we assrued them we will build faciities to accommodate the works. At no point in time the Edo State Government said they wanted artefacts. We only facilitated the process so that we can get these items back so that we can use them to attract people to our state.
“After the meeting, I said we cannot be discussing this subject in Europe all the time, let us come to Benin. In 2019, the foreigners came to Benin and gave us idea on what to do. As part of our strategy, we can create an enabling environment for arts and culture.
“Look at Victor Uwaifo creative hub, it was an abandoned warehouse. The Oba Akenzua Cultural Centre was idle. I said let us bring it back so that we can use it to encourage drama and acting which it was originally designed for.”
Dismissing allegations that he diverted funds for Royal Museum to build MOWAA, Obaseki said the planned cultural district as part of Benin Ciy master plan had the Royal Musuem.
“There is a plan for a cultural district for the Benin Masterplan. There was supposed to be a plan that will redefine the city centre. You had the MOWAA Institute, the Rain Forest Gallery, the 1897 memorial, the National Musuem, and the Royal Musuem.
“All these things have been planned for. The Oba told me he had acquired a land for the purpose and we said we will support the project and any activity that promote Edo as a cultural hub.
“As far as I am concerned, I am not a trustee of MOWAA. My role as governor is to support institutions. Whether it is EMOWAA or MOWAA, what is my business about that? Is it my own? That is their decision. The important thing is the objective and we gave support as a government,” Obaseki narrated.
