House of Representatives Launches Full Probe into Edo Museum Governance and Funding Amid Land Revocation and Foreign Influence Fears

The controversy surrounding the Museum of West African Art (MOWAA) in Benin City has now reached the highest level of the legislature, as the House of Representatives today, Wednesday, November 19, 2025, launched a comprehensive investigation into the institution’s establishment and governance structure.

The parliamentary action, initiated through a motion of urgent national importance, comes just days after Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, revoked the Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) granted to MOWAA by the previous administration. Governor Okpebholo stated that the land, controversially cleared after the demolition of the century-old Benin Central Hospital, would be returned to its original use, citing “overriding public interest.”

The core concern raised by lawmakers, led by Rep. Esosa Iyawe, is the potential for the museum’s ownership and governance structure to undermine Nigeria’s sovereignty over its cultural treasures.

“Credible reports suggest that the ownership and governance framework of MOWAA may have created an arrangement that places excessive influence in the hands of private or foreign interests,” Rep. Iyawe warned. “This would be contrary to Nigeria’s sovereignty over her cultural patrimony.”

Probe Targets Private Influence and Donor Involvement

The House noted that MOWAA was originally positioned as a key repository for Nigeria’s growing collection of repatriated Benin Bronzes, emphasizing that such a crucial cultural institution must remain under strict public control and accountability. Co-sponsor Rep. Julius Ihonvbere argued that the House must clear all doubts surrounding land allocations, donor partnerships, tax waivers, and foreign agreements.

The newly formed ad-hoc committee is mandated to:

• Investigate MOWAA’s establishment and funding sources.

• Determine the extent of government oversight.

• Assess whether agreements safeguard Nigeria’s ownership and control of its cultural assets.

This latest development deepens the dispute, which began with the Oba of Benin, Oba Ewuare II, who had previously accused the former governor of attempting to “mortgage” the rights of the Benin people and bypass the Benin Royal Palace in the control of their ancestral artefacts. The outcome of the House probe is expected to determine the future control and structure of the landmark museum project.