The governor of Edo State, Monday Okpebholo, has stated that there will be criminal prosecution over the construction of the Museum of West African Art (MOWAA).
Recall that Okpebholo’s predecessor, Godwin Obaseki, had earlier dismissed claims that he had defrauded the Oba of Benin over the project.
Speaking on Friday, when the Minister of Arts, Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy, Hannatu Musa Musawa, paid a courtesy visit to the Government House, Benin City, the governor vowed that there would be criminal prosecution on the matter.
This was contained in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Fred Itua.
Okpebholo said, “I didn’t want to speak publicly on this again, but the time has come to state the facts.
“At the end of the day, there will be criminal prosecution on this matter. We are not fighting investors.
“Our duty is to protect Edo State and, by extension, Nigeria. There will be no hiding place for criminals in our land.”
The governor reiterated his administration’s uncompromising commitment to transparency, accountability, and institutional integrity in the ongoing controversy surrounding the museum.
He noted that the state was not at war with investors but would not hesitate to prosecute any wrongdoing uncovered in the project.
Addressing the issues that have trailed the project, the governor expressed concern that his administration was deliberately excluded from crucial information and developments, including the arrival of foreign delegates for what he described as a questionable commissioning ceremony.
He revealed that documents obtained by the state “indicated major changes to MOWAA’s registration details, made just six days before his swearing-in, describing the action as suspicious and deeply troubling”.
He added that the state government was never informed about the arrival of expatriates invited for a Sunday commissioning ceremony, a move he said further reinforced the lack of transparency that has characterised the project’s operations.
The meeting was attended by key government officials, including the Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly, Blessing Agbebaku; Secretary to the State Government, Umar Musa Ikhilo; Chief of Staff, Mallam Gani Audu; Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Roland Otaru, SAN; and Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Prince Kassim Afegbua, among others.
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