A Benin-based pressure group, Coalition of Benin Socio Cultural Organisations, yesterday, said the returned Benin artefacts belong to the palace of Oba of Benin, saying any attempt to house the items outside the palace would be resisted.
It also faulted plans by Edo State governor, Godwin Obaseki, to house the artefacts in Edo Museum of West African Arts ,EMOWAA, saying the Benin monarch, Oba Ewuare II, had planned to keep the historical items in Benin Royal Museum.
Last Thursday, the governor, while addressing participants at a stakeholders’ engagement and unveiling of phase one of EMOWAA in Benin-City, said there was no dispute between the state government and the palace of the Oba of Benin regarding the artefacts.
But the Edo group described the governor’s proposal as a negation of the initial plan of the palace, which he reportedly pledged to support.
Briefing newsmen yesterday in Benin-City, Coordinator-General of the group, Mr. Osazee Amas- Edobor, said the palace is the rightful place to return the artefacts.
His words: “During the 1897 invasion, the entire Benin people defended the palace and once again the entire Edo race is ready to defend what pertains to the palace. Anything contrary to the Benin Royal Museum is tantamount to trying to re-loot the looted artefacts and that will not be allowed.
“Sincerely, we were shocked that Governor Godwin Obaseki asserted that he doesn’t have any issue nor quarrel with our revered Oba of Benin kingdom whereas when he organised a stakeholders’ engagement meeting regarding his proposed EMOWAA phase 1, he didn’t involve our revered Palace.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the word EMOWAA is alien to us as Benin people.
“We also would like to inquire why you reneged on your earlier promise regarding the Benin Royal Museum in 2018 when you supported the idea of a Benin Royal Museum before the EMOWAA idea came from the blues.
“We had expected His Excellency to be a man of his word because EMOWAA wasn’t what you discussed with our revered monarch and other prominent Benin elders in 2018.
“His Excellency, reneging on your words is tantamount to betrayal of public trust.
“We would like to point out to His Excellency that we have nothing against your plans to build museums or set up privately-owned ventures like Legacy Restoration Trust LTD and building museums as long as the artefacts that will constitute the proposed museums are not part of the stolen historical Benin artefacts.’’
Reacting to the development, the custodian of the Institute of Benin Studies, Peter Obobaifo, said irrespective of the state government’s position, the artefacts belong to the Oba of Benin.
He said:”What is clear is that all the returned artefacts and artefacts that are billed to be returned belong to the Oba of Benin. It is indisputable and nobody can lay claim to those artefacts except by the express permission of the Oba of Benin.
“I am not aware the governor has the desire to appropriate those artefacts to himself because it is simply not possible.
All the countries involved, Germany, France, UK, and the United States of America, have been involved in this repatriation and restitution efforts for the past 20 years.
“Did the governor say that the Benin Royal Museum will be stopped in favour of EMOWAA? I am not sure the governor said that. The governor should know that there is a distinction between the Benin Royal Museum and the EMOWAA because EMOWAA covers more than Nigeria and is being run under a trust.
“There is nothing that can shake the Benin Royal Museum. I am not the spokesman for the government but government has no power to stop the Benin Royal Museum project. The Oba’s position is permanent. Any governor that comes has a time limit but the Benin Royal Museum is going to be permanent as far as the monarchy remains.
There shouldn’t be any dispute between the two. So, the artefacts rightly belong to the Oba of Benin and whichever location or museum he chooses to house them is his prerogative.”
