Edo: Protesters Kick Against Location Of Museum Of West African Art In Benin

By Ayodele Oni

Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, has pledged his administration’s commitment to preserve the Benin Kingdom’s cultural sovereignty and halting any moves that could undermine the Oba of Benin’s authority over ancestral artifacts.

Okpebholo spoke on Wednesday while addressing a large crowd of peaceful protesters outside the Government House, Benin.

The demonstration, organized by palace chiefs, civil society groups, youth organizations, and concerned Edo indigenes, was a direct response to the scheduled inauguration of the Museum of West African Art (MOWAA) on November 11, 2025.

Protesters decried the event as premature and disrespectful, arguing it bypasses ongoing deliberations in the Edo State House of Assembly and lacks the explicit endorsement of Oba Ewuare II.

“Our culture is our identity, and I assure you that this administration will never allow its desecration,” Governor Okpebholo declared to the hundreds gathered, emphasizing that returned Benin bronzes and artifacts—looted during the 1897 British punitive expedition—must be housed in a dedicated Benin Royal Museum under the Oba’s custodianship.

“We know where these artifacts were taken from. Now that they have been returned, they must be restored to their rightful place.”

The governor’s remarks come amid escalating tensions over MOWAA, a flagship project initiated under former Governor Godwin Obaseki’s administration.

Okpebholo commended the protesters’ civility, calling it a reflection of Benin’s global dignity, and announced immediate steps: a personal meeting with Oba Ewuare II, consultations with the Minister of Culture and Tourism, who has already contacted him and a firm assurance that “nothing belonging to the people of Edo will be taken away from them.”

He urged calm, promising resolution “in a way that honours our history and our Monarch.

The protesters, had alleged that funds originally allocated for the Royal Museum were diverted to MOWAA via a controversial “Legacy Trust” structure, and that the site built on the grounds of the demolished 119-year-old Central Hospital represents a “misplaced priority” that sidelined public health needs.

They called for the revocation of MOWAA’s Certificate of Occupancy to rebuild the hospital, a demand echoed in recent social media discussions and earlier protests.

Osazee Amas-Edobor, speaking for the coalition of Benin socio-cultural groups, labeled the planned opening “unacceptable” and an “affront to the State Government, the Edo State House of Assembly, and, most importantly, His Royal Majesty, Oba Ewuare II.”

He highlighted the project’s evolution from a palace-centric initiative to one perceived as externally influenced, urging legislative clarity before any commissioning.