Benin, Edo – Former Edo State Governor Godwin Obaseki has firmly declined an invitation to appear before an ad-hoc committee of the Edo State House of Assembly, dismissing the probe into the funding and ownership of two flagship projects from his administration, the Museum of West African Arts (MOWAA) and the Radisson Blu Hotel as "offensive and laughable."

The announcement comes just days before Obaseki's scheduled appearance on Thursday, December 4, escalating tensions between the state's legislative arm and the ex-governor's camp.

The committee, chaired by Hon. Ade Isibor, was established at the behest of incumbent Governor Monday Okpebholo to scrutinize the projects' financial dealings.

At the heart of the investigation is the state's N3.8 billion investment in MOWAA appropriated in the 2022 budget and disbursed between March 2022 and April 2024, according to state Accountant General Julius Oseimen Anelu and a staggering N28 billion funneled into the Radisson Blu Hotel, which now stands abandoned after significant expenditure.

Anelu clarified during a recent hearing that donor funds totaling $18 million for MOWAA never entered state coffers, with payments directed either to the Legacy Restoration Trust or straight to the museum.

In a pointed statement released through his media adviser, Crusoe Osagie, Obaseki argued that the matter is sub judice, already before the courts, rendering the assembly's summons improper under legal principles.

"It is laughable for the Assembly to invite the former governor over a matter that is already in court," Osagie said.

"Why subject him to another round of questioning on the same issues? The Edo Assembly should learn how the law works.", Crusoe added

Obaseki, who left office in November 2024 after a contentious handover to Okpebholo, emphasized that he cannot be compelled to respond separately to overlapping inquiries.

The assembly's letter, signed by committee secretary Bekisu Oshone Wilson, extended invitations to a broader roster of figures tied to the projects. Among them are former Edo Finance Commissioner Joseph Eboigbe, ex-Attorney General Oluwole Osaze-Uzzi, MOWAA Director Philip Iheanacho, and executives from key private entities: Tilbury House Nigeria Limited's Managing Director, Pramod Thorat of Hospitality Investment and Management Company (HIMC), Ugochukwu Anigbogu of Afrinvest Capital Limited, and leaders from Meristem Trustees Limited and Emerging Africa Trustees Ltd.

Their attendance is deemed "required" to illuminate the funding trails and ownership structures, particularly for the Radisson project, which has drawn ire for its stalled progress despite heavy public investment.

DAILY South Nigeria reported that MOWAA's management has similarly snubbed the committee, with counsel Olayiwola Afolabi citing parallel probes by the Federal Government and the House of Representatives.

In a November 24 letter, Afolabi asserted that prior submissions to the assembly already demonstrated the project's "genuine and transparent" operations, insisting the courts not the assembly hold ultimate authority on resolutions.

Committee chair Isibor expressed dismay at the refusal, maintaining that the ongoing lawsuit does not halt legislative oversight.

The probe unfolds amid broader controversies shadowing Obaseki's legacy initiatives.

MOWAA, envisioned as a cultural beacon to house repatriated Benin Bronzes looted during the 1897 British invasion, has sparked disputes over its Benin City location on land contested by the State Hospital.

The Benin Monarch, Oba Ewuare II represented by Prince Aghatise Erediauwa at a hearing accused Obaseki of attempting to "hijack" repatriation processes, urging a probe that extends beyond state actors to international players.

Local stakeholders, including indigenes, question why the artifacts aren't housed nearer the Oba's palace, fueling perceptions of cultural disconnect.

As the December 4 hearing looms, Obaseki's defiance raises questions about the committee's next steps potentially invoking contempt proceedings or whether judicial intervention will further stall the inquiry.

The assembly has yet to respond publicly to Obaseki's rebuff, but sources suggest heightened anticipation in Benin as the political rift deepens, even as this saga underscores ongoing frictions in Edo's post-Obaseki era, where ambitious projects collide with demands for fiscal transparency and cultural stewardship.