Okpebholo allegedly approves ₦30B for construction of Udomi amusement park, amidst growing pressure to demolish MOWAA

By Gidigba Group

There are allegations that Edo governor Monday Okpebholo, has graciously approved a ₦30billion funding for the Udomi Amusement Park, in Edo Central Senatorial district, the governor's hometown. 

While Gidigba is yet to receive documentary evidence as to the ₦30B release by Okpebholo, bits and pieces of the news are already making the rounds within the Edo social media community—suggesting it may be true. 

While Gidigba news group is not unopposed to construction of an amusement park in Edo Central, the noble group believes however that, the hostility against the Museum of West African Arts MOWAA, ably championed by the Okpebholo-led government stands a deliberate attempt to ridicule the Benin nation, for the good of sister districts. 

Otherwise, what logical explanation can be given that, whereas MOWAA—a ₦22Billion global facility sitting in Benin City, the Edo State capital, currently faces threat of annihilation, and Okpebholo, who appears determined to see MOWAA fail, is alleged to have sign-off a ₦30B facility for the construction of an amusement park in his hometown. 

That can be likened to destroying one's own to build your own—a primitive and ugly development in contemporary politics. 

Again, we urge Okpebholo and his government to see MOWAA from the perspective of an economic spinner, human capacity development, global recognition for Edo State, and the tremendous impacts the world class facility attracts to Edo, rather than engaging in petty, primitive politics aimed at massaging personal egos and ridiculing MOWAA. 

Furthermore, we urge Benin elements within and outside the Okpebholo-led administration to rise up in defense of MOWAA—Benin City being the political and economic capital of Edo State, is large enough to house multiple Museums—we think the attraction of global interests like MOWAA to Edo State, should form the core of Okpebholo's young administration, rather than what seems like a misadventurous vendetta against administration past. 

Meanwhile, we hope that the various Committees now head over heels probing MOWAA, will be courageous enough to come out with objective reports that will see the facility emerge and help develop Edo and place the State on the global map, and not derail the intiative following uncontrollable political egocentrism of some elements.