Management of the Museum of West African Art (MOWAA) has declined to appear before the Edo State House of Assembly Ad hoc Committee which was set up to investigate its operations and funding.
It said it earlier informed the Committee that it would be subjudice for it to attend the public hearing due to the pendency of the same matter before the Federal High Court, Benin City.
In a letter by its Counsel, Olayiwola Afolabi, MOWAA informed the Committee that the Federal Government, as well as the House of Representatives, have constituted same committees to look into the same issues.
The letter said documents it previously submitted to the Assembly showed that everything about MOWAA were genuine and transparent.
In the documents presented by MOWAA, it said, “No funds from any international institution had been received for the building of MOWAA until after it was very clear what MOWAA was and was not.
“All funding was received subsequent to the time in the middle of 2021 that it was clear to potential donors that there would be two separate organisations one focused on Benin heritage art and another on modern and contemporary, broader West African art and research/education.
“Funding from German Government did not come until end of 2022 – a year and a half after the Palace disassociated itself from MOWAA. The fact that there would be two separate museums was communicated to the Benin Dialogue Group (the European museums) in the meetings of October, 2021 at the London meeting and again in Hamburg in the meetings of March 2023, and further confirmed in writing to all Benin Dialogue Group members approximately two years ago when MOWAA formally withdrew from the group meetings.”
In his presentation, the Edo Accountant General, Julius Oseimen Anelu, said the N3.8bn funding for MOWAA by the Edo State Government was appropriated for in the budget.
He said the $18m from donors did not enter the state’s coffers.
The Benin Monarch, Oba Ewuare II, whose presentation was made by Prince Aghatise Erediauwa, said former Governor Godwin Obaseki made efforts to hijack the process of returned artefacts.
He accused former Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed and a former Director General of National Commission for Museums and Monuments (NCMM) Albert Tijani, of fighting the Palace to defend actions of the Legacy Restoration Trust (LRT).
Oba Ewuare II said the LRT was used to solicit fund abroad using his name.
The Benin Monarch said the Federal Government gazette, which recognised him as the custodian of the returned artefacts, made the LRT promoters realised that they were fighting a lost battle.
Chairman of the Ad hoc Committee, Hon Ade Isibor, said the suit cited by MOWAA would not stop investigation of the Committee.
Hon Isibor said the Assembly and the Edo State Government were not involved in any litigation involving MOWAA.
He expressed shock that MOWAA declined to be present.
According to him, “The powers of parliament to look into funds disbursed by the Executive is sacrosanct and cannot be taken away by any court.
“We are shocked that MOWAA did not attend sitting or come to give verbal presentation. The Committee adopt the documentary evidence forwarded to us without by MOWAA.”
