Benin, Edo – In a dramatic escalation of the ongoing cultural heritage dispute rocking Edo State, the royal palace of the Oba of Benin has summoned the promoters of the Museum of West African Art (MOWAA) to appear before the Federal High Court in Benin City, November 27, _Standard Daily Press_ gathered.
The lawsuit, filed by Chief Osaro Idah, a prominent Benin traditional leader, accuses MOWAA of brazenly displaying repatriated Benin artifacts without the consent of Oba Ewuare II, the custodian of the kingdom’s sacred treasures.
The originating summons, dated November 18 and issued by the law firm of Prof. Yemi Akisoye-George, SAN & Partners, demands an immediate injunction to halt MOWAA’s operations. It alleges that the museum’s provocative siting “under the nose of the Oba” without palace approval constitutes a reckless assault on Benin customary law and risks inflaming public disorder.
The claimants argue that MOWAA initially pitched as an extension of the Benin Royal Museum under former Governor Godwin Obaseki has morphed into a private, for-profit venture that diverts looted artifacts from their rightful public home.
“This is an unlawful attempt to undermine the Oba’s sacred authority,” the press release states, emphasizing that Federal Government Order No. 1 of 2023 vests unequivocal custody, management, and ownership of all Benin artifacts past, present, and future in the Oba.
The suit further contends that MOWAA’s inclusion of repatriated bronzes, ivory works, and other sacred symbols among its exhibits flouts international reports confirming their status as Benin kingdom property.
The hearing comes amid a whirlwind of controversy surrounding MOWAA’s planned November opening, which has been repeatedly postponed.
DAILY South Nigeria reported that protests erupted earlier this month when demonstrators stormed a MOWAA event in Benin City, decrying the museum as a “colonial relic” that prioritizes private interests over communal heritage.
The action highlighted broader tensions over the Benin Bronzes, thousands of artifacts looted by British forces in 1897 and gradually repatriated from Western museums.
On November 10, the protesters disrupted the high-profile gathering, chanting against what they called an “insult to Edo ancestors.”
Edo State Governor Monday Okpebholo has waded into the fray, announcing on November 13 the revocation of MOWAA’s Certificate of Occupancy for its 5.4-hectare site, citing environmental and legal irregularities from the Obaseki era.
An Edo House of Assembly panel wrapped up its probe into alleged “shady deals” just yesterday, with reports of financial opacity and unauthorized land allocations fueling calls for accountability.
MOWAA’s legal team, in response, filed a counter-suit in Abuja, seeking to maintain the status quo and arguing the assembly’s investigation lacks jurisdiction.
Adding a layer of national intrigue, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu intervened last week, dispatching envoys to mediate between the palace, state government, and MOWAA backers.
Sources close to the presidency confirmed to this online newspaper that the effort is to preserve Nigeria’s cultural diplomacy gains, particularly as repatriations from institutions like the British Museum accelerate. Yet, the palace remains unmoved, viewing MOWAA as a direct threat to the long-planned Benin Royal Museum, a collaborative project with the federal government and international partners aimed at housing returned artifacts for public research and display.
MOWAA, funded by global philanthropists, touts itself as a beacon for West African contemporary art and heritage preservation. However, critics, including socio-cultural groups like Ogbake-Edo and Aigboasimiwin Edo State Governmentwide, decry it as a “private trust contemptuous of both traditional and federal law.”
The museum’s absence from the assembly probe citing a pending court matter has only intensified suspicions.
For now, the Oba’s palace stands firm that Benin artifacts belong to the people, under royal stewardship not private galleries, even as the court’s ruling could redefine who controls Nigeria’s commonwealth.