MOWAA Suspends Preview Week Following Attack by Hoodlums, Warns Participants to Stay Away Until Issues Are Resolved

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Following the disruption of its preview week event which opened on Sunday morning by some armed thugs, the management of the beleaguered Museum for West African Art (MOWAA) in Benin City, Edo State, has suspended further activities. The management, in a release announcing the suspension, attributed it to the protest that aborted the day’s activities which it noted, appeared to stem from disputes between the previous and current state administrations. Some irate mob had stormed the MOWAA event over ownership dispute and unleashed mayhem on participants such that some foreign diplomats, namely the ambassadors to the European Union, Germany and Denmark had to be rescued by security operatives before they could be harmed. While the initial impression given by the immediate past governor of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki was that the facility belonged to the state more so with its huge investments in it, according to official records, the MOWAA management however insisted that it had nothing to do with Obaseki, emphasising that it is “an independent, non-profit institution”. While stating that it was working closely with local authorities to address the situation, the management advised participants against visiting the MOWAA campus “until the situation has been resolved”. The full statement read: “Earlier today, a protest took place on the MOWAA campus in Benin City. The demonstration appeared to stem from disputes between the previous and current state administrations. While MOWAA was mentioned in the wider context of these grievances-alongside other development projects-we wish to emphasise that MOWAA is an independent, non-profit institution, of which the former governor has no interest financial or otherwise. “As a precaution, all guests were safely escorted to secure locations and supported in continuing their travels to hotels, airports, or other destinations in the city. The safety and well-being of our staff, visitors, and partners remains our highest priority. We are working closely with local authorities to address the situation. “We are deeply grateful to all our guests-many of whom travelled long distances to be here for their understanding, patience, and resilience. We sincerely apologise for any inconvenience this situation may have caused, including interruptions to travel plans or scheduled visits. Your commitment to being with us means a great deal, and we regret that your experience today was disrupted. “If you plan to travel to Benin for the MOWAA preview week, please suspend your travel plans unless you have other essential reasons to be in the city. “For those currently in Benin City, we advise against visiting the MOWAA campus until the situation has been resolved. There will be no preview events on Sunday 9 November, Monday 10 November and Tuesday 11 November”.