🔗 Share this article

The nation's stunning new Museum of West African Art (Mowaa) has landed in the middle of regional political struggles during the week it was supposed to – but failed – to begin operations to the public for the first time.

The Ambitious Project

The six-hectare facility is located in the core of the Edo state capital, main city of the southern state of Edo – and includes an archaeological dig and structures designed by high-profile dual heritage architect Sir David Adjaye, particularly noted for the Smithsonian African American Museum that was inaugurated in Washington in 2016.

It has been 60 months in the development – and is planned to honor both the past and the current era of artistic expression in the locale famous for the Benin Bronzes, historical pieces taken from the city's royal palace by British soldiers in the 1800s.

Preparation and Promise

It is remarkable – and ahead of the scheduled opening, Mowaa was buzzing with staff resolved to show it is a venue that can compete with well-known museums and galleries in the Europe and America.

Internally art restorers carefully unwrapped cultural items from safety materials, examining each piece and taking thorough documentation before placing them on display surfaces and plinths.

Experts fine-tuned temperature regulation systems. In the scientific facility, personnel adjusted devices intended to preserve historical artefacts.

Investment and Economic Plans

The venture has been the brainchild of entrepreneur Phillip Ihenacho – now Mowaa's chief executive.

"I want us to have a major economic benefit on communities in this region," he explained to the press, noting that he wanted to make the city "a cultural destination."

Mowaa, a charitable national foundation, envisions itself establishing over 30,000 direct and indirect jobs and providing more than $80m per year to the local cultural industry through partnerships and programming.

Investment and Administrative Problems

It has taken $25m to reach this point – capital collected from different supporters, including the international partners, the London institution and the regional authorities.

But at present the state authorities has revoked permission from beneath it – canceling the occupancy of the site on which the facility was constructed.

An official representative stated this was because in the original paperwork it had referred to itself as Edo Museum of West African Art – and it had later dropped "the state identifier" from its title.

Demonstrations and Government Action

This declaration was preceded by demonstrations on recently, when protesters entered the facility calling for it be named the Benin Royal Museum.

A boisterous crowd harassed international visitors at the museum before the inauguration – requiring them to be hurried away under security protection.

National leader Bola Tinubu has even stepped in to work to address the tensions, establishing a special task force to do some damage control.

Political Complexities

But in what way has this evolved into so divisive – and such a PR disaster?

The majority of it comes down to local power struggles at a regional government level, as it was Edo's previous governor Godwin Obaseki – whose administration ended recently – who was a primary advocate of the museum.

And it appears the administration of the current leader, a strong supporter of the local traditional ruler, called the traditional leader, may want greater involvement in the initiative. The activists on Sunday, for instance, were calling for that the museum be positioned under the supervision of the royal leader.

The Cultural Artifacts Debate

This highlights the contentious issue of the Benin Bronzes, one of the region's most celebrated artistic heritage.

Because although the facility does eventually open, these objects will be conspicuously absent.

They are metal, ivory and wooden sculptures that once decorated the king's residence of the ancient kingdom before colonial troops looted them in the colonial era during a military operation.

Nowadays, thousands remain distributed across museums in Europe and North America -- including the London museum, German museum and the American museum.

Restitution Efforts

Their homecoming has become one of the most debated discussions in the worldwide cultural sector. About 150 have currently been returned – and further are scheduled to be repatriated.

When plans for the museum in Benin City were first announced in the pre-pandemic era, the influential figures on Nigeria's art scene hoped it would become their perfect venue – a state-of-the-art facility to display them to the international community.

But the situation became complicated recently after the national authorities declared that the traditional ruler would be the proper guardian of returned objects – and the monarch's court advocated for a facility under the king's authority, opposing the desires of the former governor.

Diplomatic Challenges

This left Mowaa in a delicate position: asserting a clear stance on return while staying tactful on ownership – and emphasising its wider mission, which led to|c