Former Edo State Governor Godwin Obaseki has declined to appear before a State House of Assembly Ad hoc Committee investigating the funding and ownership of the Museum of West African Arts (MOWAA) and the Radisson Blu Hotel.
Obaseki, who was scheduled to testify on Thursday, cited that the matter is already before the courts.
In a statement issued by his media aide, Crusoe Osagie, he described the Assembly’s invitation as “offensive and laughable,” arguing that it was inappropriate to summon him on an issue pending judicial determination.
“It is sub judice for the former governor to appear before the Edo Assembly on a matter already in court. Why subject him to another round of questioning on the same issues?” Osagie said.
The panel was established following a request by Governor Monday Okpebholo to probe the extent of state government investment in the museum and the hotel, as well as their ownership.
Other individuals invited to testify include former Edo Finance Commissioner Joseph Eboigbe, former Attorney-General Oluwole Osaze-Uzzi, and several managing directors of investment and hospitality firms involved in the projects.
Management of MOWAA has also refused to appear, with the museum’s lawyer, Olayiwola Afolabi, stressing that while the Assembly can make recommendations, the courts hold the final authority on the matter.
The museum had been thrust into controversy following a preview exhibition on November 9, which ended in chaos when protesters claiming ownership by the Oba of Benin stormed the venue.
The disruption forced the event, intended for investors, artists, and foreign dignitaries, to shut down abruptly.
Videos later circulated online showing diplomats, including representatives from the European Union and Germany, being evacuated under heavy security.
The incident has intensified scrutiny over the governance and ownership of MOWAA and associated projects, highlighting the legal and political complexities surrounding high-profile cultural investments in Edo State.
