Understanding the ruckus around the Edo Museum
President Bola Tinubu set up a high-level Presidential Committee to interrogate the issues behind the stand-off concerning the Museum of West African Art (MOWAA) in Benin City,
The committee’s mandate is to consult with all stakeholders (the Palace, Edo State Government, MOWAA, and international partners) to find a sustainable solution that respects traditional authority, ensures proper custodianship of Nigeria’s heritage, and protects international partnerships.
The controversy surrounding the Museum of West African Art (MOWAA) in Benin City, Edo State, stems from a complex mix of traditional authority, state politics, concerns over accountability, the international restitution of the Benin Bronzes, and the debate over cultural custodianship.
The core of the conflict, which escalated dramatically around the museum’s planned opening in November 2025, involves:
Traditional Authority vs. Independent Trust
• The Oba’s Position: The Benin Palace, led by the traditional ruler Omo N’Oba N’Edo Uku Akpolokpolo, Ewuare II (the Oba of Benin), asserts that the repatriated Benin Bronzes, looted from the Palace in 1897, must remain within a facility under the direct authority and custodianship of the Benin Monarch.
o The Oba supports the creation of the Benin Royal Museum.
o He considers the MOWAA project a challenge to his traditional authority over Benin’s cultural heritage.
• The MOWAA Model: MOWAA is an independent, private, non-profit institution governed by a trust. Its leaders maintain that their focus is broader—on contemporary, modern, and historical West African art—and that they never claimed ownership of the Benin Bronzes.
o The controversy is partly fuelled by the museum’s initial name, which was the Edo Museum of West African Art (EMOWAA), before being shortened to MOWAA, with critics claiming this move was intended to distance it from state and traditional oversight.
State Political Rivalry
• Project Genesis: The MOWAA project was a key legacy initiative of the former Governor of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki.
• Current State Opposition: The new Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, a political opponent of the former governor and a close ally of the Oba, halted the project.
o The Governor’s administration has questioned the lack of transparency, governance framework, and the original distribution of land and state funds to the independent MOWAA Trust.
o The State Government, in November 2025, announced the revocation of the Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) for the land on which MOWAA is built, stating it would revert to its previous use as the historic Benin Central Hospital.
Public and International Disruption
• The Protests: Ahead of MOWAA’s planned opening, protesters—reportedly linked to the Oba’s palace—stormed the premises during a private preview event attended by foreign diplomats and guests, forcing the event to be disrupted and cancelled.
o Protesters chanted slogans in support of the Oba, demanding that the museum be called the “Benin Royal Museum.”
• International Concern: The international partners and donors who contributed millions of pounds to the project (including the French and German governments) have expressed worry and confusion over the local political and traditional dispute, creating fears that the row could harm ongoing efforts to reclaim Africa’s stolen art.
In essence, the ruckus is a power struggle over who has the legitimate right to control the narrative and infrastructure surrounding Benin’s cultural legacy, especially in the context of the much-anticipated return of the Benin Bronzes.
There is a larger question of accountability as for the value of state land made available for the project. It is mute now with the reversal of the land to the General Hospital.
2. Debate and disputation over the cancellation of mother-tongue policy in primary education
A pronouncement by the Minister of Education Dr Tunji Alausa, blaming foundational studies in the mother-tongue for poor results in secondary school terminal examinations has kicked off a firestorm.
The Minister cited “evidence-based governance” and “data analysis,” claiming that the mother tongue policy has led to high failure rates in public examinations (WAEC, NECO, JAMB) and has negatively impacted learning outcomes in certain geopolitical zones.
• Contradiction and Ruckus: The cancellation elicited strong condemnation from educationists, the Nigerian Academy of Letters (NAL), and linguists, who reference the Ife Six-Year Primary Study and global research (including UNESCO guidelines) supporting mother-tongue instruction for better early literacy, cognitive development, and cultural preservation.
Critics contend that the issue was not the policy itself but rather poor implementation—such as inadequate teacher training, a shortage of textbooks, and the difficulties caused by Nigeria’s extensive linguistic diversity.
The Ife Six-Year Primary Education Study (1970–1978), led by the late Professor Babs Fafunwa at the University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University), is a landmark research study that laid the foundation for Nigeria’s longstanding mother tongue education policy, a policy recently revoked by the Federal Government.
The study is widely considered a pivotal piece of evidence in favour of mother-tongue instruction.
NAL URGES A RETHINK ON THE CANCELLATION OF THE NATIONAL LANGUAGE POLICY (2022)
The Nigerian Academy of Letters (NAL) expresses deep concern over the recent decision of the 69th National Council on Education (NCE) held in Akure from 3–6 November 2025, to cancel the National Language Policy (NLP 2022) and designate English as the sole medium of instruction at all levels of education in Nigeria.
Background
The National Language Policy (2022) was established to promote mother-tongue-based multilingual education, ensuring that children receive instruction in the language of their immediate environment during their first six years of schooling. It was the culmination of over four decades of incremental decisions by the National Council on Education in favour of using the mother tongue in education.
Notably, the policy was the outcome of years of rigorous research, extensive consultation, and expert input from scholars, educators, and communities across the nation. To dismiss it so lightly, without proper regard for specialised knowledge and public opinion, is utterly disrespectful to Nigerians and does not reflect well on the government’s respect for evidence-based policymaking.
Extensive international research, including UNESCO guidelines, affirms that education in the mother tongue enhances literacy, cognitive development, and academic achievement. It also strengthens cultural identity, promotes social inclusion, and supports lifelong learning.
Our renowned Professor Babs Fafunwa’s Six-Year Ife Primary Education Study laid the empirical groundwork for mother-tongue education. This model has been successfully replicated worldwide. The example of Bolivia, which shifted from a monolingual Spanish state to a multilingual one and achieved an illiteracy-free status confirmed by UNESCO, is instructive. Similarly, Ghana’s recent policy announcement promoting multilingual education—apparently inspired by Nigeria’s model—is another pertinent example.
Ironically, while other African countries such as Ghana are following Nigeria’s lead, Nigeria is reversing a policy that it has not even implemented.
Furthermore, an approved implementation framework already exists as part of the National Language Policy (2022), addressing concerns about possible gaps and challenges. The Honourable Minister of Education may not be apprised of this fact.
Implications of the decision
The NAL views this policy reversal as a setback with profound and far-reaching implications:
• It undermines decades of advocacy and modest achievements for indigenous languages.
• It threatens Nigeria’s linguistic diversity, cultural identity, and national cohesion.
• It contravenes constitutional and educational provisions supporting mother-tongue instruction.
• It risks social and symbolic exclusion, especially for speakers of minority languages.
• It is tantamount to reverting to the colonial enterprise of linguistic domination and cultural alienation.
The Nigerian Academy of Letters remains committed to working with the Federal Government, the Linguistic Association of Nigeria (LAN), educational institutions mainly the National Institute for Nigerian Languages (NINLAN), and communities to ensure that every Nigerian child learns, thinks, and innovates from a strong foundation in their linguistic and cultural heritage, while acquiring the knowledge and skills to thrive in a globalized world.
Prof. Andrew Haruna, FNAL
President, Nigerian Academy of Letters (NAL)
UNESCO’s Position: The Core Argument
UNESCO’s fundamental position is that instruction in a child’s mother tongue (or first language) is crucial for effective learning, especially in the early years of schooling. They argue that this is not just an educational preference but a matter of equity, inclusion, and quality.
A famous and often-cited statement from a 1953 UNESCO report encapsulates this view:
“It is axiomatic that the best medium for teaching a child is his mother tongue.”
This principle has been reinforced in numerous reports and declarations, including the Global Education Monitoring Reports.
Evidence and Examples Supporting the Call
• Ethiopia: Studies have shown that children taught in their mother tongue for the first eight years performed significantly better in later grades, even after switching to English as the medium of instruction.
• Bolivia & Peru: Intercultural Bilingual Education (EIB) programs for indigenous children have led to improved attendance, reduced repetition rates, and better Spanish acquisition.
• Southeast Asia: Countries like Thailand and Cambodia have implemented mother-tongue-based programs for ethnic minority children, demonstrating notable improvements in literacy and numeracy compared to their peers in submersion (foreign-language-only) programs.
UNESCO’s Recommended Approach: Multilingual Education
UNESCO does not suggest that children should learn only in their mother tongue. Instead, they promote Mother-Tongue-Based Multilingual Education (MTB-MLE). This model typically involves:
• Start in the mother tongue: Using the child’s first language as the primary medium of instruction for at least the first 6-8 years.
• Systematic introduction of a second language: Gradually introducing a second (often national or international) language as a subject, with careful pedagogical support.
• Gradual transition: Eventually, the second language may become a medium of instruction for some subjects, but the first language remains a valued part of the curriculum.
