Stop Proposed Museum of West Africa, Group Tells Obaseki
Adibe Emenyonu in Benin City
The Benin Cultural Organisation yesterday asked Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki to stay off the Benin artefacts and stop the proposed Edo Museum of West African Arts.
Also, the organisation asked the governor whether the project “is for the interest of the Oba of Benin, HRM Omo N’Oba N’Edo Uku Akpolokpolo Ewuare II and the people of Benin kingdom, or a private venture.
It made the demand during a media briefing in Benin-City, the Edo State capital yesterday.
As stakeholders, the organisation said it wanted “to know the major interest of a private venture headed by a non-Benin concerning the artefacts belonging to the palace of the Oba of Benin as a heritage of the people.
“Oba Ewuare II is a living deity to the Benin people who defended the palace during the British invasion of 1897,” the organisation said during the media briefing.
“Oba Ewuare II has established a committee to oversee the Benin Royal Museum which the governor accented to, and wondered why Obaseki is relenting at this time by proposing a parallel museum alien from the already agreed royal museum.”
The organisation, therefore, urged Obaseki “to retract his steps. The state needs a peaceful atmosphere for good governance and should not be overheated.
“Any attempt to introduce EMOWAA will be resisted. Governor Obaseki should concern himself with the administration of the state and stay clear from Benin artefacts.
“Obaseki should remember that power is transient. He cannot be there forever. One day he will leave the seat of government and so, he should stop creating enmity for the Obaseki family,” the organisation declared.
Obaseki had unveiled what the called the phase one of the Edo Museum of West African Art (EMOWAA),
Obaseki, who stated that there was no dispute between the state government and the Palace of the Oba of Benin over the return of looted Benin artefacts, had noted that Edo as a people had a lot of assets from their past and as such it becomes imperative to recreate them.
“So, it is beyond just several pieces of artwork; no, it’s beyond that. It is about using that as the contact point to bring out the best of who we are.
“There is a whole lot of research that still needs to be done. We can’t have things about us being explained to us from Europe. Nobody is going to do it for us,” he declared.
