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Inside Edo
Obaseki’s 2020 tweet on Benin Royal Museum Project sparks renewed controversy
Written By: Emmanuel Ikhenebome
15 Nov 2025 06:34 AM
Benin, Edo – A five-year-old social media post by former Edo State Governor Godwin Obaseki has resurfaced, igniting fresh debate over the contentious Benin Royal Museum (BRM) project amid ongoing tensions surrounding the Museum of West African Art (MOWAA).
The post, originally shared on October 4, 2020, congratulates renowned architect Sir David Adjaye on his 2021 RIBA Royal Gold Medal and highlights his involvement in the BRM, a project now at the center of scrutiny under Governor Monday Okpebholo’s administration.
In the tweet, posted from the official @GovernorObaseki handle, Obaseki wrote: “Congrats to Sir @adjaye, for the 2021 RIBA Royal Gold Medal honour. His architectural pieces speak to the dexterity of human imagination. We are delighted that he is on the Benin Royal Museum project, which will reshape the conversation around the looted Benin artifacts.”
The post, which included a photo of Obaseki, has been thrust back into the spotlight following a recent X post by @UyibLA on November 15, 2025. The user questioned the consistency of Obaseki’s earlier enthusiasm, noting a contradiction with the former governor’s recent claim made on November 14, 2025 that “no blueprint for the Benin Royal Museum was ever presented to me” during his tenure.
@UyibLA's post, which includes an image of the original tweet, asks: “No design for the BRM, but Sir Adjaye (Architect of EMOWAA, later MOWAA) was on the BRM team? VERY IMPORTANT.”
This juxtaposition has fueled speculation about the project’s planning and transparency, especially as Obaseki, who left office in November 2024, has faced accusations of mismanagement from the current administration.
Governor Okpebholo has vowed to investigate alleged irregularities in MOWAA, a project linked to Adjaye, and the BRM’s status remains a point of contention between the state government and traditional stakeholders, including the Oba of Benin.
The 2020 tweet suggests Obaseki’s administration was actively engaged with Adjaye’s involvement, praising his architectural prowess and the BRM’s potential to address the repatriation of looted Benin artifacts, a global cultural issue tied to the 1897 British expedition.
However, his recent denial of receiving any BRM blueprints has raised eyebrows, with critics questioning whether the project’s progress was overstated or deliberately obscured.
Neither Obaseki nor Adjaye has responded to the renewed scrutiny.
The Okpebholo administration, which has promised “criminal prosecution” for any wrongdoing in public projects, may now face pressure to clarify the BRM’s development timeline.
The controversy adds another layer to Edo State’s cultural and political saga, with the BRM’s fate hanging in the balance as investigations into MOWAA deepen.
For now, Obaseki’s 2020 optimism stands in stark contrast to the current administration’s call for accountability leaving the public to wonder what truly transpired behind the museum’s walls.
The post, originally shared on October 4, 2020, congratulates renowned architect Sir David Adjaye on his 2021 RIBA Royal Gold Medal and highlights his involvement in the BRM, a project now at the center of scrutiny under Governor Monday Okpebholo’s administration.
In the tweet, posted from the official @GovernorObaseki handle, Obaseki wrote: “Congrats to Sir @adjaye, for the 2021 RIBA Royal Gold Medal honour. His architectural pieces speak to the dexterity of human imagination. We are delighted that he is on the Benin Royal Museum project, which will reshape the conversation around the looted Benin artifacts.”
The post, which included a photo of Obaseki, has been thrust back into the spotlight following a recent X post by @UyibLA on November 15, 2025. The user questioned the consistency of Obaseki’s earlier enthusiasm, noting a contradiction with the former governor’s recent claim made on November 14, 2025 that “no blueprint for the Benin Royal Museum was ever presented to me” during his tenure.
@UyibLA's post, which includes an image of the original tweet, asks: “No design for the BRM, but Sir Adjaye (Architect of EMOWAA, later MOWAA) was on the BRM team? VERY IMPORTANT.”
This juxtaposition has fueled speculation about the project’s planning and transparency, especially as Obaseki, who left office in November 2024, has faced accusations of mismanagement from the current administration.
Governor Okpebholo has vowed to investigate alleged irregularities in MOWAA, a project linked to Adjaye, and the BRM’s status remains a point of contention between the state government and traditional stakeholders, including the Oba of Benin.
The 2020 tweet suggests Obaseki’s administration was actively engaged with Adjaye’s involvement, praising his architectural prowess and the BRM’s potential to address the repatriation of looted Benin artifacts, a global cultural issue tied to the 1897 British expedition.
However, his recent denial of receiving any BRM blueprints has raised eyebrows, with critics questioning whether the project’s progress was overstated or deliberately obscured.
Neither Obaseki nor Adjaye has responded to the renewed scrutiny.
The Okpebholo administration, which has promised “criminal prosecution” for any wrongdoing in public projects, may now face pressure to clarify the BRM’s development timeline.
The controversy adds another layer to Edo State’s cultural and political saga, with the BRM’s fate hanging in the balance as investigations into MOWAA deepen.
For now, Obaseki’s 2020 optimism stands in stark contrast to the current administration’s call for accountability leaving the public to wonder what truly transpired behind the museum’s walls.
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