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Tag: Obaseki

  • Obaseki’s kinsmen hail Okpebholo on road construction

    Obaseki’s kinsmen hail Okpebholo on road construction

    Kinsmen of former Governor Godwin Obaseki have jailed Governor Monday Okpebholo for fulfilling his promise to construct the 14 kilometres Eguaholor-Iguomon-Uvbenisi-Oza Road with a spur to Ohe community.

    They said the road which linked Uhunmwode and Orhionmwon local government areas was neglected by their son.

    The former Edo Governor kinsmen spoke when Okpebholo inspected the road project which connected several agrarian communities.

    Mrs. Oyenmwen Igbinedion said they were happy that they could now take their farms produce to the market.

    She said: “Okpebholo has rescued us from darkness and it shows that the All Progressive Congress (APC) is a party to be trusted and this have shown that Governor Okpebholo’s administration is delivering practical governance to Edo people”.

    The counsellor representing Isi North in Uhunmwode local government area, Hon. Friday Agbonze, said the people suffered a lot due to the abandoned road.

    He said the construction has helped to boost economic resources of the people of the area.

    “Before now, we made several attempts to reach the former governor, Obaseki who is from this our community and he did nothing to help us. Thank God in just one year, governor Okpebholo has brought road to us and opened up our community. We are so very happy”.

    Speaking to journalists, Okpebholo said: :This is Obaseki’s Community, you can see the excitement on the faces of the people, how they have all come out to welcome us. Obaseki was governor of Edo State for eight years and never remembered his people.

    “When I came during my campaigns, i promised them that when I win the elections I will come and do this road. The road then was completely bad and inaccessible. This is my second time coming here. The first time was when I came to flag off this road and the second time now is to inspect the progress of the job done so far”.

    Okpebholo stated that construction of the road attested to the support of President Bola Tinubu in Edo’s Infrastructure and agricultural revolution drive.

    He expressed optimism  that the benefitting residents would appreciate President Tinubu with maximum votes in 2027.

    “The people are happy as President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is demonstrating practical governance in Edo State, delivering the dividends of democracy to Edo people.

    “When we are talking about 2.5 million votes in Edo, people think we are joking. Edo people will not vote for another person because they have experienced growth and development in the State. 2027 is settled because it’s the judgement day and no matter the party they shall all be defeated in Edo State.

    “Our work is speaking for us as long as the President keeps giving us money, we will continue to use it to work for Edo people and develop the State and ensure the people  keep smiling”.

  • Okpebholo concludes probe of Obaseki’s administration

    Okpebholo concludes probe of Obaseki’s administration

    The Edo State House of Assembly has submitted a report of its investigation into the ownership and funding of the Museum of West African Arts (MOWAA) and the Radisson Blu Hotel. Its report nailed former Governor Godwin Obaseki, who  may soon be a guest of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). OSAGIE OTABOR writes on the intrigues.

    The year 2026 will be an interesting year for residents and indigenous people of Edo State. It is an interesting year because all committees set up to look into legacy projects of former Governor Godwin Obaseki will submit their reports. Notable among the legacy projects are the Museum of West African Arts (MOWAA) and the Radisson Blu Hotel. Both projects are of interest because of the significant funds Obaseki committed to them.

    Already, Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Prince Kassim Afegbua, has hinted that the state government would submit a petition to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to bring Obaseki to book.’

    Attempts to open the MOWAA Institute to the public in November were stopped by thugs who invaded the premises and chased diplomats as well as tourists away. The attempted opening of MOWAA followed Governor Monday Okpebholo’s letter to the Edo State House of Assembly, asking it to investigate the ownership and funding of MOWAA and the Radisson Blu Hotel, as well as the extent of the state government’s N3.8bn investment in MOWAA and N28bn in Radisson Hotel.

    After weeks of investigation and stakeholder interviews for both projects, the Assembly accepted the report of the committees it set up to investigate them. However, management of MOWAA and former Governor Obaseki boycotted the Assembly probe. Others who refused to appear before the Assembly Panel included a former Edo Finance Commissioner, Mr. Joseph Eboigbe; a former Attorney General of Edo State, Mr. Oluwole Osaze-Uzzi; and the Managing Director of Tilbury House Nigeria Limited.

    Obaseki said it was offensive and laughable for the Assembly to invite him over a matter already in court and urged the Edo Assembly to learn how the law works.

    Speaking through his Media Adviser, Crusoe Osagie, the former governor said he could not be subjected to answering questions on the same issue separately.

    “It is subjudice for the former governor to appear before the Edo Assembly in a matter already in court. Why subject him to another round of questioning on the same issues?”

    In the report submitted to Governor Monday Okpebholo, the Edo Assembly asked Governor Okpebholo to work with relevant anti-graft agencies to recover N17.5bn from the two Escrow Agents, Meristen Trustees Limited and Emerging Africa Trustees Limited, who former Governor Obaseki appointed to oversee the transfer of the Radisson Blu Hotel to the Hospitality Investment Management Company.

    The Assembly said the N17.5bn was the balance of the N25bn former Governor Godwin Obaseki raised from the Capit⁹al market to invest in the Radisson Blu Hotel. It is said that the Agents’ refusal to execute the Escrow Agreement rendered the Agreement invalid.

    READ ALSO: Timini Egbuson, Dakore lose father

    Moreover, it said the investor failed to meet the payment schedule under the ‘defective Escrow Agreement,’ adding that the N10bn paid by the investors did not go into the state government’s coffers.

    According to the report, “That the Edo State Government should contract competent hands to complete the renovation of the Hotel and take all steps to put the Hotel to use for the benefit of the good people of Edo State, in particular, and the world in general.

    “The Edo State Government should immediately revoke the fraudulent Certificate of Occupancy to the property issued in the name of Hospitality Investment and Management Company Limited and revert the same to the Edo State Government that purchased the property.

    “That the Edo State Government initiate legal action and work with relevant Anti-graft Agencies to retrieve both the complete statement of account and the balance of the Seventeen Billion, Five Hundred Million Naira (N17, 500,000,000.00) Bond proceeds still in the possession of the Escrow Agents. Meristen Trustees Limited and Emerging Africa Trustees Limited”

    On the MOWAA project, the Edo Assembly said the land on which the MOWAA Institute was built remained in the name of the demolished Central Hospital and was never revoked. It said its findings showed the Edo State Government solely provided the over N3bn used to build and develop the MOWAA Institute Pavilion and that there was no proof of any other funds donated in respect of the same.

    It said MOWAA’s Management did not provide proof of receipt of any donation from any foreign or local donor in respect of the project, and recommended that the Edo State Government immediately take over possession of the entire premises on which MOWAA was built.

    “The title of the property, having never been revoked, remained the property of the Central Hospital, Benin City.

    “The Edo State Government should immediately take all necessary steps to put the property to good use in the best interest of the people of Edo State.”

    Upon receiving the report, Governor Okpebholo promised that the findings and recommendations would be fully implemented and assured that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) would be invited to examine further the issues raised in the recommendations.

    Okpebholo explained that changes in the structure and nomenclature of the MOWAA project made the investigation unavoidable.

    “Edo State has spent over N3.8 billion on the MOWAA project, yet some people are saying the state has no stake in it. That is totally unacceptable. I will work with your recommendations and forward them to the relevant authorities to investigate what truly happened. We will also involve the EFCC.

    “Our investment in the Radisson Blu Hotel project is over N28 billion. We must invite the EFCC to step in and determine if this is how businesses are conducted in Nigeria,” he said.

    Besides the MOWAA and Radisson Blu Hotel projects, the Okpebholo administration may establish a Commission of Inquiry to investigate alleged abuses in land allocations by the Obaseki administration.

    Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Kassim Afegbua, said “the real commission of inquiry will be devoted to the several abuses on land allocations that dominated the previous government as they freely gifted lands to companies to further their pecuniary interest.”

    At the commissioning of newly acquired tractors by Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, Governor Okpebholo called for the repatriation of Obaseki to the country.

    Governor Okpebholo said the former Edo Governor must be repatriated to answer critical questions concerning MOWAA and to ensure clarity and accountability in the management of public funds.

    According to him, “I want Obaseki back home to come and answer some questions. Edo is not met for 419, and nobody can use Edo to commit international fraud. The  Edo Government has also been defrauded. With the facts I have, the only ground which I will later show you, it is enough to bring him back to this country.”

    Meanwhile, Obaseki has been engaging in a ‘Meet and Greet’ session with Edo indigenes in the diaspora. The Meet and Greet session has moved across the United States of America, Canada, and Europe. The session, according to the Media Adviser to the former Edo Governor, was to enable him to thank those in the diaspora who supported his administration. It was at the sessions that Obaseki responded to some of the allegations against him, even as he expressed regret over the abandonment of his many legacy projects.

    Obaseki also denied being the owner or having any vested interest in many of the legacy projects.

    “MOWAA is not my own, just like many of the things we invested in are not mine, but as long as it brings investment to Edo State and grows the economy of the state, it is incumbent to support MOWAA. Government money cannot develop a state.

    “How many states can attract that kind of investment in MOWAA today. With that investment being there, see how much that would have come to Edo over that weekend. We can have another economy that is not dependent on oil revenue. The money to be received will be local revenue. This is one thing that could lead to tourism revenue. Look at the injection into the economy, and the original capital is not Edo money. We should have advanced beyond where we are now. It is unreasonable for any Edo man to justify what happened.

    “Look at the good things you inherited. The ones that aren’t good for you, you repair—the projects Ogbemudia didn’t complete. I completed them. The ones with potential, I worked on. I looked at the plans Ali left behind, and it helped us to make progress. I was hoping my successor would continue from where I left off. We did our best to get the civil service back up and running.

    We know what we met with CDAs in communities. The purpose of government is to protect lives, and we built a new security architecture. Since governance is a continuum, why not build on it? Look at the initiatives,

    If you are happy with one, why not build another? You build on what you met. I am not a happy person. I am not satisfied with what I see.”

  • Edo Assembly report indicts Obaseki over MOWAA, Radisson Blu projects

    Edo Assembly report indicts Obaseki over MOWAA, Radisson Blu projects

    The Edo State House of Assembly has submitted the report of its investigation into the ownership and funding of the Museum of West African Arts (MOWAA) and the Radisson Blu Hotel, with findings that indict former Governor Godwin Obaseki and may expose him to investigation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in 2026.

    The report followed weeks of legislative inquiry into what the Assembly described as controversial legacy projects of the former administration, particularly MOWAA and the Radisson Blu Hotel, which allegedly gulped huge sums of public funds.

    Already, the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Prince Kassim Afegbua, has hinted that the Edo State Government plans to formally petition the EFCC over the projects.

    Tension around the MOWAA project heightened in November when attempts to open the institute to the public were disrupted by hoodlums who reportedly chased away diplomats and tourists.

    The aborted opening followed a request by Governor Monday Okpebholo to the House of Assembly to investigate the ownership and funding of MOWAA and Radisson Blu Hotel, including the state’s alleged N3.8 billion investment in MOWAA and N28 billion in the Radisson Blu project.

    After engaging stakeholders, the Assembly adopted the reports of the committees set up to probe the projects. However, the management of MOWAA and former Governor Obaseki boycotted the legislative hearings. Others who declined to appear included former Commissioner for Finance, Joseph Eboigbe; former Attorney-General of the state, Oluwole Osaze-Uzzi; and the Managing Director of Tilbury House Nigeria Limited.

    Obaseki, through his Media Adviser, Crusoe Osagie, dismissed the Assembly’s summons as “offensive and laughable,” arguing that the matter was already before a court. He maintained that it would be sub judice for him to appear before the legislature over issues already undergoing judicial determination.

    In its report to Governor Okpebholo, the Assembly recommended that the state government collaborate with relevant anti-graft agencies to recover N17.5 billion from two escrow agents, Meristen Trustees Limited and Emerging Africa Trustees Limited. The funds, according to the report, represent the balance of the N25 billion raised by the Obaseki administration from the capital market for the Radisson Blu Hotel project.

    The Assembly said the escrow agreement was invalid because the agents allegedly failed to execute it, while the investor did not comply with the payment schedule. It further claimed that the N10 billion reportedly paid by investors never entered the state government’s coffers.

    The report also urged the government to revoke what it described as a fraudulent Certificate of Occupancy issued to Hospitality Investment and Management Company Limited, renovate the hotel, and put it to use for the benefit of Edo residents.

    Read Also: Why I was attacked, by ex-Daar Communications chief Obaseki

    On the MOWAA project, the Assembly said the land on which the institute was built remained registered in the name of the demolished Central Hospital and was never formally revoked. It added that findings showed the Edo State Government solely funded the construction and development of the MOWAA Pavilion with over N3 billion, with no evidence of donations from foreign or local donors.

    The House further stated that MOWAA’s management failed to provide proof of receiving any donations and recommended that the Edo State Government immediately take over possession of the entire premises on which the institute was built.

    “The title of the property, having never been revoked, remained the property of the Central Hospital, Benin City.

    “The Edo State Government should immediately take all necessary steps to put the property to good use in the best interest of the people of Edo State.”

    Receiving the report, Governor Okpebholo promised that the findings and recommendations would be fully implemented and assured that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) would be invited to further examine issues raised in the recommendations.

    Okpebholo explained that changes in the structure and nomenclature of the MOWAA project made the investigation unavoidable.

    “Edo State has spent over ₦3.8 billion on the MOWAA project, yet some people are saying the state has no stake in it. That is totally unacceptable. I will work with your recommendations and forward them to the relevant authorities to investigate what truly happened. We will also involve the EFCC

    “Our investment in the Radisson Blu Hotel project is over ₦28 billion. We must invite the EFCC to step in and determine if this is how businesses are conducted in Nigeria,” he said.

    Besides the MOWAA and Radisson Blu Hotel projects, the Okpebholo administration might set up a Commission of Inquiry to look into alleged abuses of land allocations by Obaseki after allegations

    Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Kassim Afegbua, said “the real commission of inquiry will be devoted to the several abuses on land allocations that dominated the previous government as they freely gifted lands to companies to further their pecuniary interest.”

    At the commissioning of newly acquired tractors by Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, Governor Okpebholo called for the repatriation of Obaseki to the country.

    Governor Okpebholo said the former Edo Governor must be repatriated to answer critical questions concerning MOWAA as well as ensure clarity and responsibility in the management of public funds.

    According to him, “I want Obaseki back home to come and answer some questions. Edo is not met for 419, and nobody can use Edo to commit international fraud. The Edo government has also been defrauded. With the facts I have, the only ground which I will later show you, it is enough to bring him back to this country.”

    Meanwhile, Obaseki has been engaging in a ‘Meet and Greet’ session with Edo indigenes in the diaspora. The Meet and Greet session has moved across the United States of America, Canada, and Europe.

    The session, according to Media Adviser to the former Edo Governor, was to enable him to thank those who supported his administration from the diaspora. It was at the sessions that Obaseki responded to some of the allegations against him, even as he expressed regret over the abandonment of his many legacy projects.

    Obaseki also denied being the owner or having any vested interest in many of the legacy projects.

    “MOWAA is not my own, just like many of the things we invested in are not mine, but as long as it brings investment to Edo State and grow economy of the state, it is incumbent to support MOWAA. Government money cannot develop a state.

    “How many states can attract that kind of investment in MOWAA today. With that investment being there, see how much that would have come to Edo over that weekend. We can have another economy that is not dependent on oil revenue. The money to be received will be local revenue. This is one thing that could lead to tourism revenue. Look at the injection into the economy, and the original capital is not Edo money. We should have advanced beyond where we are now. It is unreasonable for any Edo man to justify what happened

    “Look at the good things about what you met. The ones that are not good to you, you repair them. The projects Ogbemudia didn’t complete. I completed them. The ones with potential, I worked on. I looked at the plans Ali left behind, and it helped us to make progress. I was hoping for my successor to continue from where I stopped. We did our best to get the civil service working again.

    “We know what we met with CDAs in communities. The purpose of the government is to protect lives, and we built a new security architecture. Why not build on it? Look at the initiatives,

    “If you are happy with one, why not build another? You build on what you met. I am not a happy person. I am not happy with what I see.”

  • Assembly slams Obaseki, threatens arrest warrant

    Assembly slams Obaseki, threatens arrest warrant

    Edo State House of Assembly Ad hoc Committee constituted to investigate the Museum of West African Art (MOWAA) and Radisson Hotel has slammed former Governor Godwin Obaseki for refusing to appear before the committee.

    It said it had powers to ask the police to bring any individual before it to answer questions.

    The committee said those declining to appear before it could not claim they were refused right to fair hearing.

    Governor Monday Okpebholo had asked the assembly to probe funding and ownership of the projects, including extent of the state government N3.8billion investment in MOWAA and N28billion in Radisson Hotel.

    Other persons invited to appear before the committee yesterday included a former Edo Finance Commissioner, Mr. Joseph Eboigbe, ex-Attorney General of Edo State, Mr. Oluwole Osaze-Uzzi, Managing Director, Tilbury House Nigeria Limited, Mr. Pramod Thorat, Project Manager of Hospitality Investment and Management Company (HIMC), Mr. Ugochukwu Anigbogu, Managing Director, Afrinvest Capital Limited, Managing Director, Meristem Trustees Limited and Managing Director, Emerging Africa Trustees Ltd.

    At the resumed sitting of the committee, Obaseki and others sent letters through their lawyers stating reasons why they declined the committee’s invitation.

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    They cited lawsuit filed in courts against MOWAA as reasons for their absence.

    Chairman of the Ad hoc Committee, Addeh Isibor, expressed disappointment about the action of Obaseki and others.

    Isibor said the committee was on a fact finding and not to witch-hunt anybody.

    The lawmaker said the committee would submit its report based on fact.

    He said: “These gentlemen have unilaterally chosen to absent themselves that there exist court cases regarding our sitting or issues under consideration.

    “We know position of the law. We are not dunces but cerebral people. We are constitutionally mandated to carry out investigation or hearing on any matter to which we have the power of appropriation.

    “The mere filing of a suit in court cannot amount to stay of proceeding. They ran to court after we began the public hearing.

    “No judge can stop our sitting. We will reach a decision on the matter. If you choose not to make yourself available, you cannot claim you were refused right to fair hearing.

    “It is more offensive that none of the SANs attached court processes to the letters. They know they rushed to court at midnight. These are empty letters.

    “They want to stop this committee from getting to the root of the matter. We reject the letters as lacking in merit. Edo Assembly is not a party to the suit.

    “The committee has powers to ask the police to bring those concerns here. We have no letter stopping the committee from completing its assignment.”

  • MOWAA controversy: Edo Assembly berates Obaseki, threatens arrest warrant

    MOWAA controversy: Edo Assembly berates Obaseki, threatens arrest warrant

    The Edo State House of Assembly Ad hoc Committee investigating the Museum of West African Art (MOWAA) and the Radisson Hotel project has criticised former Governor Godwin Obaseki for refusing to honour its invitation.

    The committee warned that it has the constitutional authority to compel the appearance of any individual through the Police if necessary.

    Lawmakers noted that those declining invitations cannot claim denial of fair hearing, as opportunities had been provided for them to present their side.

    Governor Monday Okpebholo had mandated the Assembly to probe the funding structure, ownership, and scale of investment in the projects, including the state’s N3.8 billion stake in MOWAA and N28 billion commitment to the Radisson Hotel project.

    Others invited to appear before the Committee on Thursday included former Commissioner for Finance, Joseph Eboigbe; former Attorney General, Oluwole Osaze-Uzzi; Managing Director of Tilbury House Nigeria Limited, Pramod Thorat; Project Manager at Hospitality Investment and Management Company (HIMC), Ugochukwu Anigbogu; as well as the Managing Directors of Afrinvest Capital Limited, Meristem Trustees Limited, and Emerging Africa Trustees Ltd.

    At the resumed sitting, Obaseki and several others wrote through their lawyers to decline the invitation, citing ongoing lawsuits concerning MOWAA as their reason for staying away.

    Chairman of the ad-hoc committee, Hon. Addeh Isibor, expressed disappointment over their refusal to appear, stressing that the panel’s mandate is purely fact-finding and not a witch-hunt.

    He added that the Committee would base its final report strictly on verified facts.

    According to him, “These gentlemen have unilaterally chosen to absent themselves that there exist court cases regarding our sitting or issues under consideration.

    “We know position of the law. We are not dunces but cerebral people. We are constitutionally mandated to carry out investigation or hearing on any matter to which we have the power of appropriation.

    “The mere filing of a suit in court cannot amount to stay of proceeding. They ran to court after we commenced the public hearing. 

    “No judge can stop our sitting. We will reach a decision on the matter. If you choose not to make yourself available, you cannot claim you were refused right to fair hearing.

    “It is more offensive that none of the SANs attached court processes to the letters. They know they rushed to court at midnight. These are empty letters.

    “They want to stop this Committee from getting to the root of the matter. We reject the letters as lacking in merit. Edo Assembly is not a party to the suit.

    “The Committee has powers to ask the Police to bring those concerns here. We have no letter stopping the Committee from completing its assignment.”

  • Why I won’t appear before Edo Assembly panel, by Obaseki

    Why I won’t appear before Edo Assembly panel, by Obaseki

    Former Edo State Governor Godwin Obaseki has given reasons he will not appear before Edo State House of Assembly Ad hoc Committee set up to investigate funding and ownership of the Museum of West African Arts (MOWAA) and Radisson Blue Hotel.

    Edo Assembly set up the panel following a request by Governor Monday Okpebholo that it should probe funding and ownership of the projects, including extent of the state government’s N3.8billion investment in MOWAA and N28billion in Radisson Blue Hotel.

    Obaseki is scheduled to appear before the committee on Thursday.

    The committee had in a letter signed by its Secretary, Bekisu Wilson, listed other persons invited to include former Edo Finance Commissioner Mr. Joseph Eboigbe, ex-Attorney General of Edo State Mr. Oluwole Osaze-Uzzi and Managing Director, Tilbury House Nigeria Limited.

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    Others are Mr. Pramod Thorat, Project Manager of Hospitality Investment and Management Company (HIMC), Mr. Ugochukwu Anigbogu, Managing Director, Afrinvest Capital Limited, Managing Director, Meristem Trustees Limited and Managing Director, Emerging Africa Trustees Ltd.

    The statement said attendance by Obaseki and others were required as part of the committee’s investigation.

    Obaseki, who spoke through his media adviser, Crusoe Osagie, said it was offensive and laughable for the assembly to invite him over a matter that was already in court.

    He said Edo Assembly should learn to know how the law worked.

    The former Edo governor said he could not be subjected to answer separately on the same issue.

    “It is subjudice for the former governor to appear before Edo Assembly in a matter already in court.

    “Why subject him to another round of questioning on the same issues?”

    Management of MOWAA had also refused to appear before Edo Assembly Ad Hoc Committee.

    Its counsel, Olayiwola Afolabi, said the assembly could only make recommendations but that the court would make the final decision on the issues.

  • I will not appear before Edo Assembly panel, says Obaseki

    I will not appear before Edo Assembly panel, says Obaseki

    Immediate past Governor of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki, said he would not appear before the Edo State House of Assembly ad-hoc committee set up to investigate funding and ownership of the Museum of West African Arts (MOWAA) and the Radisson Blu hotel.

    The Edo Assembly set up the panel following a request by Governor Monday Okpebholo that the Assembly should probe funding and ownership of the projects including extent of the state government N3.8bn investment in the MOWAA and N28bn in Radisson Hotel.

    Former Governor Obaseki is scheduled to appear before the Committee on Thursday, December 4th, 2025.

    The Committee, had in a letter signed by its Secretary, Bekisu Oshone Wilson, listed other persons invited to include a former Edo Finance Commissioner, Mr. Joseph Eboigbe, former Attorney General of Edo State, Mr. Oluwole Osaze-Uzzi and Managing Director, Tilbury House Nigeria Limited.

    Others are Mr. Pramod Thorat, Project Manager of Hospitality Investment and Management Company (HIMC) Mr. Ugochukwu Anigbogu, Managing Director, Afrinvest Capital Limited, Managing Director, Meristem Trustees Limited and Managing Director, Emerging Africa Trustees Ltd.

    The statement said attendance by Obaseki and others were required as part of the committee’s investigation.

    Obaseki, who spoke through his media adviser, Crusoe Osagie, said it was offensive and laughable for the Assembly to invite him over a matter that was already in court.

    Read Also: Crusoe Osagie: Tribal warrior defending failed refugee, Obaseki

    He said the Edo Assembly should learn to know how the law works.

    The former Edo Governor said he could not be subjected to answer separately on the same issue.

    “It is subjudice for the former Governor to appear before the Edo Assembly in a matter already in court.

    “Why subject him to another round of questioning on the same issues?”

    Management of MOWAA had also refused to appear before the Edo Assembly Ad Hoc Committee.

    Its Counsel, Olayiwola Afolabi, said the Assembly could only make recommendations but that the Court woulds make the final decision on the issues.

  • Crusoe Osagie: Tribal warrior defending failed refugee, Obaseki

    Crusoe Osagie: Tribal warrior defending failed refugee, Obaseki

    By Fred Itua

    Crusoe Osagie, only you could vanish for more than a year, resurface from a foreign address, and still speak with the confidence of someone who left the books clean. You spent years as the loudspeaker of the last administration. You issued press statements with a weekly rhythm, wrote flowery essays about “transformational projects,” and swore on every available platform that Edo State had ownership stakes in the very businesses that are now exposing your claims as fiction. If loyalty were graded by volume alone, you would have scored an A. If it were graded by truth, the story would be different.

    The irony is almost poetic. The projects you once defended with King Kong chest beatings are the same ones now unravelling under the simplest test of accountability. The moment your principal left office, both of you disappeared into silence as the state began to open the files. The same files you told Edo people contained “transparent partnerships and clean contracts.” Suddenly, the ownership structures have no government equity. Suddenly, public lands were transferred without due process. Suddenly, basic questions about money trails have no answers. And suddenly, the authors of those grand claims are sending in commentary from outside the country instead of walking into the relevant agencies with documents in hand.

    A clear conscience doesn’t run. A clear conscience doesn’t hide behind distance. A clear conscience returns. So before writing epistles from abroad, maybe return home with your principal and explain to Edo people why the projects you swore were government-backed now appear to have been private adventures wrapped in the Edo logo. Approach the authorities. Face the audit. Bring the documents. Edo people deserve clarity, not cross-continental storytelling.

    Your new article tries to shift attention from the substance of the probes to an old, tired trick; divide the state along ethnic lines. You drag Edo South into every paragraph, painting the governor as some vengeful figure targeting Benin interests. Crusoe, that line of argument is beneath even you. Edo South is not your personal political shield. The people there are not pawns for your deflection. And you know all too well that the governor’s actions have nothing to do with tribe. They have everything to do with answering a simple question: who truly owns what?

    Two of the biggest capital projects of the current administration, Rahmat Park Flyover and Adesuwa Junction Flyover, are both in Edo South. Massive infrastructure sitting right in the heart of the region you claim is being “crippled.” There is no ambiguity about who benefits from good roads. Roads boost local trade. Roads improve movement. Roads open up communities. Governor Monday Okpebholo understands that you develop a state by fixing infrastructure, not by writing sectional speeches from a distance.

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    Your argument collapses under its own weight. If the governor were hostile to Edo South, why would he place these projects there? Why are more ongoing road rehabilitation works happening in the same Edo South you claim is under attack? Facts don’t fear accusations. They simply stand.

    Let us go through the projects you cried about with a little more honesty than you offered in your essay.

    The Museum of West African Art (MOWAA) is not demolished. The problem is the century-old public hospital that was brought down to make way for it. You told the world glowing tales about the project. At a time in your tenure, you practically became the spokesman for the project. You defended the demolition of the Central Hospital with venom, pulling down all critics. Today, the ownership structures show no government equity. So tell us, Crusoe: was it love for Edo South that made your principal promise the Oba of Benin a Royal Museum, only for it to morph from the Benin Royal Museum to EMOWAA and finally to MOWAA without a single clear benefit to the people? So the real question is simple: how did Edo people get schemed out of MOWAA? That question must be answered, not drowned in sentimental writing about “cultural renaissance.”

    Ossiomo Power, which you praised like it was the eighth wonder of the world, is now facing well-documented questions about land acquisition, and exclusivity clauses. Edo State cannot inherit liabilities because someone once wrote long essays describing it as a miracle project. If land was grabbed without due process, should the host communities remain silent?

    Presco is another emotional bullet in your narrative. You try to whip up fear by claiming 13,000 hectares were revoked. Yet you leave out the fact that the Certificate of Occupancy was never revoked. What happened was the reckless action of an individual who acted without the governor’s authority. That individual has been dismissed. That is what accountability looks like. This is what you never saw fit to do in your years in office.

    Your attempt to shield these murky dealings behind ethnic sentiment is petty and disappointing, even for someone who has mastered political spin. There is nothing about these probes that targets any region. They target opacity. They target irregularities. They target contracts signed without Cabinet consent or legislative oversight. They target the absence of public equity in projects the previous government swore it owned.

    Add the Radisson Blu Hotel in Benin City to the questionable project list. The hotel is also at the center of an ownership controversy involving allegations of fraud and mismanagement of state funds under your principal. An assets verification committee and the state assembly are investigating, with findings indicating that the state’s initial 70% stake was reduced to 20% shortly before Obaseki left office. This occurred after the administration allegedly used taxpayer money to fund the project and then transferred ownership to private entities, leading to calls for a forensic investigation and public accountability.

    And yes, they target the habit of signing away public land to private companies using quiet back-channel arrangements. If Edo State land was transferred to private hands under questionable circumstances, what exactly is wrong with asking questions? Only those who fear the truth fear a probe.

    Crusoe, governance is not storytelling. And your new life as a visiting correspondent for Edo politics should not include rewriting history. If you and your principal have nothing to hide, return home and face the facts. Stop issuing long-distance accusations. Stop pitching Edo South against the rest of the state. Stop acting like accountability is an attack. And stop pretending that asking basic questions about public assets is a crime.

    The truth is simple: this administration will not be blackmailed by an on-the-run former governor and his restless spokesman. If you have documents, evidence, records, or anything more meaningful than adjectives, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the Edo State House of Assembly are open. Walk in. Show your receipts.

    Until then, spare Edo people the melodrama. They have lived through eight years of it already. This is a new chapter. This is a government cleaning up the blurry pages you left behind.

    You may rest your case, Crusoe. But the facts are just beginning to speak.

    • Itua is Chief Press Secretary to Governor Monday Okpebholo of Edo State.

  • MOWAA’s controversy: Edo Assembly invites Obaseki, Iheanacho for questioning

    MOWAA’s controversy: Edo Assembly invites Obaseki, Iheanacho for questioning

    The Edo State House of Assembly ad-hoc committee constituted to investigate the Museum of West African Art (MOWAA) and Radisson Hotel has invited former Governor Godwin Obaseki and MOWAA’s Director, Philip Iheanacho, for questioning.

    Obaseki is also expected to give insights into the funding of the Radisson Hotel.

     Other persons invited by the Committee are a former Secretary to the State Government, Osarodion Ogie, a former Edo Finance Commissioner, Mr. Joseph Eboigbe, former Attorney General of Edo State, Mr. Oluwole Osaze-Uzzi, and Managing Director, Tilbury House Nigeria Limited.

    Others are Mr. Pramod Thorat, Project Manager of Hospitality Investment and Management Company (HIMC), Mr. Ugochukwu Anigbogu, Managing Director, Afrinvest Capital Limited, Managing Director, Meristem Trustees Limited, and Managing Director, Emerging Africa Trustees Ltd.

    A statement by the Secretary, ad-hoc committee, Bekisu Oshone Wilson, said Obaseki and others would appear on Thursday, 4th December, 2025

    The statement said attendance by Obaseki and others was required as part of the committee’s investigation.

  • I did not scam Oba of Benin on MOWAA project, says Obaseki

    I did not scam Oba of Benin on MOWAA project, says Obaseki

    The immediate past governor of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki, has dismissed allegations that he defrauded the Benin Monarch, Oba Ewuare II, in relation to the Museum of West African Art (MOWAA) project.

    Obaseki clarified that he was neither a trustee of MOWAA nor involved in any fundraising activities on its behalf.

    According to him, he never intended to build a museum personally but sought to create an enabling environment for Edo State to generate revenue through culture and creative arts.

    Speaking in an interview monitored by our correspondent, the former governor said the Benin Royal Museum was conceived as part of a broader plan to develop a cultural district, which would also include the MOWAA Institute.

    He added that he had proposed the establishment of a Trust comprising the Benin Palace, the federal government, and the state government to ensure a unified voice and coordinated effort for the cultural district project.

    According to him, “You mean the donors will not read about who they want to give money to, or they will not understand the purpose. I cannot speak for MOWAA because I didn’t go with them to raise money. When they asked for our support, we gave them.

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    “There is a plan for a cultural district for the Benin Master plan. There was supposed to be a plan that would redefine the city centre. You had the MOWAA Institute, the Rain Forest Gallery, the 1897 memorial, the National Museum, and the Royal Museum. All these things have been planned for. The Oba told me has acquired land for the purpose, and we said we will support the project and any activity that promotes Edo as a cultural hub.

    “As far as I am concerned, I am not a trustee of MOWAA. My role as Governor is to support institutions. Whether it is EMOWAA or MOWAA, what is Mr Business about that? Is it my own? That is their decision. The important thing is the objective, and we gave support as a government.

    Narrating what transpired with the Benin Monarch, Obaseki said, “The roles of the Edo State government under my watch are clear. We did things in the way we do in a certain way. Building museums was not a priority of the state government. I cannot take the money I want to use to build schools to go and build museums. What I will do is to use that money to create an enabling environment and allow people who know how to build museums. I will collaborate with them to build museums.

    “MOWAA has raised over €80m. Does Edo State have that kind of money? I will not use that money for the museum. I will support the initiative. Give them land, an enabling environment, and funds.

    “We carried the palace along. We told the palace that we will have more say if we have something that represents the federal government, the state government, and the Palace. I said we should set up a trust of the National Museum, the Palace, the foreign museum, and the state government. That was what we started with. I nominated the Crown Prince, gave him a letter, he took it to his father, and the father gave him his blessings. We set up a non-charitable trust. The foreigners need someone they can see through. Let the Crown Prince represent the Trustee from the Palace, and there was no objection. At a certain point, there was misinformation. We went to Germany, and that was where the whole thing went south. I don’t know what happened internally, and the Monarch was not happy. The Palace then withdrew from the Trust. I said ok. He said he wants to have his own Royal Museum, and we said we will support. I understand the Oba acquired land opposite the palace.

    “MOWAA is not my own, just like many of the things we invested in are not mine, but as long as it brings investment to Edo State and grows the economy of the state, it is incumbent to support MOWAA. Government money cannot develop a state.

    “How many states can attract that kind of investment in MOWAA today? With that investment being there, see how much that would have come to Edo over that weekend. We can have another economy that is not dependent on oil revenue. The money to be received will be local revenue. This is one thing that could lead to tourism revenue. Look at the injection into the economy, and the original capital is not Edo money. We should have advanced beyond where we are now. It is unreasonable for any Edo man to justify what happened that weekend.”