Edo State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Prince Kassim Afegbua, has accused former Governor Godwin Obaseki and current managers of the Museum of West African Art (MOWAA) of altering the project’s identity, failing to account for billions of naira released by the state, and sidelining the government from a preview event that later descended into chaos.
Speaking during a Right of Reply interview on ARISE News on Monday, Afegbua said the state has uncovered “a lot of rats” since discovering that the name of the project—legally registered as the Edo Museum of West African Arts (EMOWAA)—was changed to MOWAA on the eve of the former governor’s exit from office.
“I would rather prefer to refer to MOA as the Edo Museum of West African Arts, because as far as we are concerned, the records we have, the documents we have, and the certificate of occupancy that we have, read Edo Museum of West African Arts,”he said.
“The fact that the previous governor, when he was leaving office on November 8th, had to change the name to Museum of West African Arts made us smell rats—and smelling that rat, we have now confirmed quite a number of things.”
Afegbua said the Edo State Government was the primary funder of the museum pavilion and had approved billions for the project through the Executive Council.
“From the beginning, the project was a state government project. The quantity surveyor submitted the bill of quantities to ESCO. ESCO approved it and released funds,” he explained.
“Out of ₦4.1 billion, EMOWAA could complete the pavilion of the museum, and those days they spent ₦3.8 billion.”
He insisted the evidence of state funding was documented.
“Evidence—black and white. These foreign donors people talk about will need to ask Obaseki and his lieutenants where they spent that money,”he said.
“There are memos signed by commissioners and presented to council. Approvals were granted—₦800 million at times, ₦700 million at times, ₦1 billion. Everything sums up to ₦3.8 billion.”
When asked about donor oversight, Afegbua said Edo State could only speak to its own records.
“That is why we are carrying out further investigations. They will need to go and ask those who are running MOWAA now what happened to their donations,”he said.
“Even with the Corporate Affairs Commission, the government’s name is still Edo Museum of West African Arts. Anybody claiming they spent money should ask Philippi Major and Barrister Chukwe—those running MOA now—what happened to our funds.”
He added that the state has already taken formal steps.
“That is why we have set up a committee. We want to have interviews with the donors.”
Afegbua denied allegations that the state sponsored protesters who disrupted the museum preview attended by diplomats.
“No, no, we did not,” he said.
“Edo State is a core investor—the real funder of that pavilion. Now you are going to present a preview on a Sunday and you did not inform the state government that you spent ₦3.8 billion?”
He said the event organisers created the conditions for chaos.
“You did not invite us. You did not inform us. You chose 9 a.m. on a Sunday when people will be in church. You brought your so-called donors and did a preview without the nucleus of that audience,” he stated.
On diplomats who were evacuated during the disturbance, he maintained the government was not at fault.
“We don’t feel tarnished because I expected some of those persons to be conscious of the fact that something was coming to be done,” he said.
“They ought to have reached out to us. The opening was set for November 11th. We were not aware of any preview on a Sunday.”
He added that four ambassadors met the government afterward.
“On Monday, at 9 a.m. in Government House, they came and expressed their misgivings. When they listened to our explanation, I think they were better off.”
Afegbua confirmed the state government has revoked the land title issued under the MOWAA name.
“We have revoked the title granted to a MOA,” he said.
“People were trying to dismantle by changing the name. Basically, it revokes the land. And we are trying to constrict them within the geographical area because the land they took was massive, and it belonged to the central hospital.”
Afegbua said the current dispute stems from faulty foundations laid during the previous administration.
“When you are trying to build something and you are not putting your foundation very well, you are bound to have issues like this,” he said.
“You cannot deceive the Governor—promising everybody, two former presidents and many politicians on October 30th, that you were going to build a museum within three years. Now, within that three years, you have come up with a museum called the Museum of West African Art.”
He insisted the government now owns the project.
“We are the owners of the museum. We are not knocking it down,”he clarified.
“Those who have contributed should ask those running it: Where is our money? What did you spend it on?”
He added that investigations revealed several irregularities.
“When we did our search, we went to the CAC and saw everything was wrong. Why did you bring staff from outside West Africa to run the museum? Who are the people running it? Eighty per cent of them are not from West Africa.”
Responding to claims that the state government has lost public support, Afegbua dismissed social-media reactions.
“If you think you want to govern by mass hysteria, nobody governs using social-media opinions,”** he said.
“We have our own sources of information. We consult widely when we want to take decisions. As much as we want to be in the EU, we should not be fraud. We cannot teach our students to change opinion. We will appoint our own people to run the place and accord it respect.”
Boluwatife Enome
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