Edo Assembly Warns Obaseki Over Refusal to Appear in Museum and Hotel Probe

The Edo State House of Assembly has warned former Governor Godwin Obaseki that it has the authority to issue an arrest warrant after he refused to appear before its ad hoc committee investigating the Museum of West African Art (MOWAA) and the Radisson Hotel.

The committee, established at the request of Governor Monday Okpebholo, is probing the funding, ownership, and government investment in the projects, including N3.8 billion in MOWAA and N28 billion in the hotel. Management of MOWAA also declined to appear before the committee.

Committee Chairman Addeh Isibor said Obaseki and others sent letters through their lawyers explaining their absence, citing ongoing lawsuits related to MOWAA.

He emphasized that the committee’s mandate is fact-finding, not a witch-hunt, and that legal action cannot prevent the hearings from continuing.

Isibor noted that the committee could compel attendance through the police and that letters sent by legal representatives were insufficient to halt proceedings. He stressed that those absent could not claim denial of their right to a fair hearing.

The report follows an incident at MOWAA on November 9, when protesters stormed the museum during a private exhibition, forcing foreign dignitaries and investors to evacuate amid chaos.

The demonstration raised concerns about safety and sparked debates over the museum’s ownership.

The assembly has affirmed that the investigation will proceed and that all parties involved may be summoned to provide answers in the interest of transparency and accountability.