Edo State Invested N3.8bn in MOWAA Without Securing Equity Stake – Assets Verification Committee

The Edo State Assets Verification Committee has revealed that despite a substantial N3.8 billion investment in the Museum of West African Arts (MOWAA) by the previous administration, the state holds no equity stake in the project.

Speaking during a press briefing in Benin City on Thursday, the committee chairman, Dr. Ernest Afolabi Umakhihe, clarified that MOWAA operates as an independent private trust on government land. The state’s involvement, he explained, is limited to minor oversight by the Ministry of Arts, Culture, and Tourism.

Dr. Umakhihe highlighted discrepancies between the former administration’s claims and actual expenditures, stating, “Edo State has no equity stake in MOWAA, despite contributing N3.8 billion to the project.”

He assured stakeholders that ongoing work on MOWAA would not be disrupted but emphasized that discussions with the current governor would determine the project’s future direction, including the possibility of state ownership.

This disclosure follows the controversial decision by former Governor Godwin Obaseki to demolish the historic Benin Central Hospital, which served the community for over a century, to make way for the MOWAA project.

In January 2022, the hospital was replaced with the MOWAA campus, sparking debates about prioritizing cultural initiatives over essential healthcare services. During MOWAA’s official unveiling in November 2023, Obaseki defended the move, claiming it paved the way for the construction of a new facility, the Stella Obasanjo Hospital.