Benin Monarch Insists MOWAA Must Be Renamed ‘Benin Royal Museum,’ Governor Okpebholo Pledges Immediate Restoration

The heated controversy surrounding the Museum of West African Art (MOWAA) reached a climax today, Friday, November 7, 2025, as the Oba of Benin, Oba Ewuare II, firmly insisted that the facility must be officially renamed and recognized as the Benin Royal Museum. The Monarch’s assertion was met with an immediate, decisive pledge from the new Edo State Governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo.

Speaking during a historic courtesy visit to the Government House in Benin City, Oba Ewuare II clarified that the world recognizes the massive cultural project as the Benin Royal Museum, and therefore, “it must remain so.”

The Oba stressed that the structure was originally conceived and designed with the explicit vision of housing the repatriated Benin artifacts looted during the 1897 British invasion. This vision, he noted, was supported by various foreign governments and donors who intended for the repatriated treasures to be housed under the custodianship of the Benin Royal Palace.

Allegations and Government Action

The Monarch expressed deep concern regarding the project’s management by the previous administration, stating he had a “bad feeling” about the process and alleging that the MOWAA project lacked the necessary transparency. He called on Governor Okpebholo and President Bola Tinubu to investigate and facilitate the renaming of the monument.

Governor Okpebholo responded by declaring an end to the protracted dispute. He publicly affirmed his administration’s “unshakable loyalty” to the Benin Traditional Institution and pledged to restore the project to its “original and rightful purpose,” which he described as a cultural edifice envisioned to honour the heritage of the Benin Kingdom.

To concretize this promise, the Governor immediately announced the formation of a Committee, chaired by former Governor and APC Chieftain Adams Oshiomhole, to ascertain the true legal and operational status of MOWAA and define the clear position, rights, and stake of the Benin Royal Palace in the museum project.

The resolution comes at a critical time, as MOWAA is scheduled to hold a public preview opening on November 11, 2025, a timeline that had previously fueled widespread protests and legal objections from the Palace and Benin socio-cultural groups. The Governor’s swift action is seen as a defining moment of unity between the State Government and the revered Benin Monarchy.