🔗 Share this article

Nigeria's remarkable new Museum of West African Art (Mowaa) has landed in the center of regional political struggles during the week it was scheduled to – but did not manage – to open its doors to the visitors for the very first time.

The Ambitious Project

The large-scale campus sits in the core of Benin City, main city of the southern state of Edo – and features an archaeological dig and facilities planned by renowned Ghanaian-British architect Sir David Adjaye, best known for the Smithsonian African American Museum that began operations in Washington DC in 2016.

It has been five years in the making – and is planned to celebrate both the heritage and the current era of creativity in the region renowned for the historic artworks, artworks stolen from the city's royal palace by British soldiers in the 1800s.

Setup and Prospects

It is notable – and before the scheduled opening, Mowaa was buzzing with employees resolved to show it is a place that can compete with well-known museums and galleries in the Western world.

Internally preservation experts meticulously unwrapped artworks from safety materials, examining each artifact and taking meticulous notes before positioning them on walls and plinths.

Experts fine-tuned temperature regulation systems. In the materials science laboratory, staff members set up equipment meant to conserve historical items.

Investment and Economic Plans

The project has been the brainchild of businessman Phillip Ihenacho – currently Mowaa's chief executive.

"I aim us to have a major economic impact on area populations around here," he explained to the press, mentioning that he hoped to make the city "a tourism center."

Mowaa, a non-profit local organization, sees itself establishing over 30,000 employment opportunities and adding more than $80m per year to the regional creative economy through alliances and events.

Investment and Administrative Problems

It has taken $25m to achieve this stage – funds gathered from various donors, including the European governments, the UK museum and the regional authorities.

But at present the state authorities has pulled the rug from below it – terminating the use of the site on which the museum was built.

An official representative clarified this was because in the initial documents it had called itself the Edo-named institution – and it had later eliminated "Edo" from its name.

Unrest and Official Response

This announcement was preceded by rallies on Sunday, when activists entered the facility demanding it be called the Benin Royal Museum.

A rowdy group confronted foreign guests at the venue prior to the inauguration – forcing them to be quickly removed under official guard.

President Bola Tinubu has additionally become involved to attempt to settle the dispute, creating a high-level committee to do some damage control.

Political Complexities

But how has this turned into so politicised – and such a public relations crisis?

A great deal of it stems from local power struggles at a regional government level, as it was the former state leader Godwin Obaseki – whose governance finished the previous year – who was a key supporter of the project.

And it appears the leadership of the recently elected official, a key associate of the area king, referred to as the Oba, may want greater involvement in the initiative. The activists on Sunday, for instance, were demanding that the institution be positioned under the control of the current Oba.

The Benin Bronzes Controversy

This highlights the controversial matter of the cultural artifacts, one of Africa's most famous historical legacy.

Because although the museum does ultimately open, these bronzes will be clearly not present.

They are metal, elephant tusk and wooden carvings that once decorated the king's residence of the historical empire before UK forces took them in 1897 during a punitive expedition.

Today, many stay distributed across museums in the West -- including the British Museum, German museum and the New York institution.

Restitution Efforts

Their repatriation has become one of the most contested discussions in the global art world. Roughly 150 have presently been returned – and further are expected to return.

When ideas for the facility in Benin City were first announced in 2019, the key players on the country's cultural sector hoped it would become their perfect venue – a state-of-the-art facility to exhibit them to the global audience.

But the waters were muddied two years ago after the national authorities stated that the traditional ruler would be the proper guardian of any returned bronzes – and the royal household pushed for a facility under the monarch's supervision, against the wishes of the former governor.

Strategic Positioning

This left Mowaa in a delicate position: maintaining a definite position on repatriation while staying tactful on ownership – and highlighting its larger purpose, which led to|c