Former Governor of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki, has declined an invitation to appear before the Edo State House of Assembly’s ad-hoc committee investigating funding and ownership of the Museum of West African Arts (MOWAA) and the Radisson Blu hotel project.
The committee was set up following a request by Governor Monday Okpebholo for a probe into the state’s investments, including N3.8 billion committed to MOWAA and N28 billion to the Radisson Blu development.
Obaseki was scheduled to appear before the panel on Thursday, 4 December 2025, alongside several former government officials and private-sector partners.
Those invited include former Finance Commissioner Joseph Eboigbe; former Attorney-General Oluwole Osaze-Uzzi; Tilbury House Nigeria Ltd’s Managing Director; Hospitality Investment and Management Company Project Manager Pramod Thorat; and the heads of Afrinvest Capital Limited, Meristem Trustees Limited and Emerging Africa Trustees Ltd.
However, speaking through his media adviser, Crusoe Osagie, Obaseki rejected the invitation, describing it as “offensive and laughable” given that the matter is already before the court. He said it was improper for the Assembly to subject him to another round of questioning on an issue that is sub judice.
“It is sub judice for the former governor to appear before the Edo Assembly in a matter already in court,” Osagie said.
The management of MOWAA has also declined to appear before the committee.
Its counsel, Olayiwola Afolabi, said while the Assembly may make recommendations, the final decision on the issues rests with the court.
