By Gidigba Group
_...Okpebholo, his thugs, will answer for their treachery_
We note with heavy heart the senseless and tragic invasion of the iconic Museum of West African Art, MOWAA, in Benin City, the Edo State capital, by thugs loyal to the Edo State governor, Monday Okpebholo.
While the invasion of MOWAA by Okpebholo's thugs on Sunday, does not represent the true character of Edo people, who are prominent for their accommodating and harmonious disposition, it however casts a significant dark shadow on the public image of not only Benin City, where MOWAA is majestically resident, but the entire State—as a society replete with anti-progressive tendencies.
We condemn in the strongest terms, the senseless invasion of the facility, destruction of articles, harassment, intimidation and forceful evacuation of foreigners within the place, and we hold very firmly, the Edo State government, led by Monday Okpebholo, responsible for the dastardly act.
The invasion of MOWAA, destruction of identifiable articles, intimidation and forceful evacuation of foreigners within the facility, will forever register in our memory as the greatest crime against humanity, wickedly planned and executed by the Okpebholo-led government—the Edo governor must be held to account for the breach of peace, and hooliganism in Edo State.
Early Sunday morning, while foreigners converged on MOWAA in Benin City for the exhibition and showcasing of MOWAA to the global community, a group of thugs stormed the premises of the facility, forcefully gained entrance, destroyed articles within the place, harassed, intimidate and forcefully evacuated armless foreign culture experts, artists, curators, archeologists, historians and relics' collectors, who were going about their business, these thugs, who claimed to have been sent by government, rained terror on foreigners on Benin soil.
The act by Okpebholo's thugs has been described as senseless, wayward, barbaric, cowardly, having drawn wide condemnations from members of the public—their attack on armless foreign diplomats on Sunday morning places Edo and indeed, Nigeria on a notorious frontline, demanding urgent action.
We sympathize with foreign experts who today, went through unsolicited trauma in the hands of Okpebholo's thugs, we commend the managers of MOWAA for their calm and civil disposition in the face of intimidation and harassment, they are the true heroes and their display of civility is duly noted.
For the thugs who rained terror on innocent foreigners and destroyed articles within the iconic MOWAA, your names and faces will forever remain a soured taste in our history, your cowardice and hostility will greet our history books, that one time in Edo, you connived with others to kick against progress—you destroyed relics, intimated and harrassed foreigners—you are not heros, but villains, who senselessly and cowardly placed Benin City, Edo State and indeed Nigeria, on a pedestal of a society unfriendly to progress.
May be not today, but someday, you, alongside your sponsors, will be brought to account for your treachery.
We urge our people to remain calm and go about their business in the most peaceful manner, the struggle for the development of Edo State and the emancipation of our people, will not come easy, but it is a task that must be achieved.
Uhuru.
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