🔗 Share this article

Nigeria's stunning new Museum of West African Art (Mowaa) has found itself in the crosshairs of regional political struggles during the week it was scheduled to – but failed – to begin operations to the public for the first time.

The Grand Vision

The six-hectare campus sits in the center of Benin City, capital of the southern region of Edo – and contains an excavation site and structures planned by high-profile British-Ghanaian architect Sir David Adjaye, particularly noted for the Smithsonian African American Museum that opened in Washington DC in 2016.

It has been half a decade in the creation – and is planned to showcase both the heritage and the modern times of creativity in the area renowned for the Benin Bronzes, artworks taken from the royal palace by British soldiers in the nineteenth century.

Preparation and Promise

It is impressive – and before the scheduled opening, Mowaa was energetic with workers determined to demonstrate it is a venue that can match established art institutions in the West.

Internally conservators precisely revealed cultural items from secure wrapping, examining each artifact and taking meticulous documentation before placing them on walls and bases.

Specialists fine-tuned environmental controls. In the scientific facility, officers calibrated equipment meant to preserve centuries-old artefacts.

Financial Backing and Economic Vision

The project has been the brainchild of businessman Phillip Ihenacho – presently Mowaa's managing director.

"I hope us to have a substantial economic impact on area populations in this region," he stated to media outlets, noting that he hoped to make the city "a tourism center."

Mowaa, a non-profit Nigerian institution, sees itself generating more than 30,000 employment opportunities and providing above $80m per year to the area arts sector through collaborations and activities.

Investment and Administrative Problems

It has taken $25m to achieve this stage – funds raised from different donors, such as the international partners, the British Museum and the regional authorities.

But at present the regional administration has pulled the rug from beneath it – terminating the use of the land on which the building was erected.

An Edo state spokesperson stated this was because in the initial documents it had identified as the Edo-named institution – and it had since removed "the regional name" from its designation.

Demonstrations and Government Action

This statement was preceded by protests on recently, when activists invaded the facility calling for it be designated the Benin Royal Museum.

A disruptive crowd confronted international visitors at the venue prior to the launch – requiring them to be hurried away under police escort.

National leader Bola Tinubu has also stepped in to attempt to settle the dispute, establishing a presidential committee to address the controversy.

Governance Issues

But why has this turned into so controversial – and such a reputation problem?

The majority of it stems from local power struggles at a area administrative level, as it was the ex-administrator Godwin Obaseki – whose administration ended last year – who was a primary advocate of the museum.

And it seems the administration of the new governor, a key associate of the local traditional ruler, called the traditional leader, may seek increased control in the project. The protesters on that day, for example, were insisting that the museum be placed under the control of the royal leader.

The Cultural Artifacts Debate

This brings into focus the controversial matter of the historical artworks, one of the continent's most famous artistic heritage.

Because even if the institution does finally open, these bronzes will be clearly not present.

They are metal, ivory and wooden sculptures that once adorned the king's residence of the ancient kingdom before UK forces stole them in the colonial era during a punitive expedition.

Today, many continue to be spread across museums in Western nations -- including the London museum, Berlin's Humboldt Forum and the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Restitution Efforts

Their homecoming has become one of the most debated conversations in the global art world. Roughly 150 have currently come back – and additional are expected to return.

When proposals for the facility in the city were initially revealed in recent years, the movers and shakers on the country's cultural sector hoped it would become their perfect venue – a state-of-the-art campus to exhibit them to the world.

But the issues became confused two years ago after the central administration declared that the royal leader would be the legal custodian of any returned bronzes – and the monarch's court campaigned for a facility under the royal family's direct control, opposing the desires of the ex-leader.

Diplomatic Challenges

This left Mowaa in a challenging circumstance: asserting a definite position on return while staying tactful on guardianship – and highlighting its broader vision, which led to|c