ABUJA, Nigeria — President Bola Tinubu has established a presidential committee to address escalating tensions surrounding the Museum of West African Art (MOWAA) in Benin City, following controversy over land rights and cultural heritage concerns in Edo State.
The move comes a day after Monday Okpebholo, the governor of Edo State, revoked the certificate of occupancy previously issued to MOWAA.
The decision followed public criticism and objections from Oba Ewuare II, the Oba of Benin, over the demolition of the historic Central Hospital in Benin City to make way for the museum complex.
The dispute reached a flashpoint earlier in the week when a preview exhibition at the museum was disrupted by protesters aligned with the palace, leading to heightened unrest and renewed debate over custodianship of cultural heritage.
In response, Tinubu constituted a high-level committee chaired by Hannatu Musawa, the minister of art, culture, tourism, and creative economy.
Members include representatives from the ministry, the presidency, the National Council for Arts and Culture, the Edo State government, the palace of the Oba of Benin, the ministry of foreign affairs, the German and French embassies, the National Commission for Museums and Monuments, and MOWAA.
According to a statement issued by Chindaya Ahmadu, director of press for the ministry, the committee has been tasked with conducting “extensive consultations”, undertaking fact-finding on “all relevant issues”, and formulating actionable recommendations that safeguard Nigeria’s cultural sovereignty while maintaining essential international partnerships.
Musawa said the intervention “demonstrates our unwavering dedication to preserving Nigeria’s cultural heritage through peaceful means and within established legal frameworks”.
She described cultural institutions as “pillars of our national identity” that must be protected through approaches combining traditional custodianship with modern institutional systems.
The ministry underscored the government’s stance on balancing rights and responsibilities, stating, “Nigeria’s cultural spaces and artefacts represent our shared inheritance and therefore deserve special protection under both moral and legal statutes.”
The committee is expected to deliver its report directly to Tinubu, a step intended to ensure swift adoption of recommendations and stabilise relations between the Edo State government, the Benin palace, international partners, and MOWAA.
