🔗 Share this article

Nigeria's remarkable new Art Museum of West Africa (Mowaa) has found itself in the middle of area political conflicts during the period it was expected to – but did not manage – to open its doors to the public for the first time.

The Ambitious Project

The six-hectare campus sits in the center of Benin City, capital of the southern area of Edo – and contains an archaeological dig and buildings created by high-profile dual heritage architect Sir David Adjaye, best known for the Washington African American Museum that opened in Washington DC in 2016.

It has been 60 months in the development – and is envisioned to showcase both the heritage and the modern times of creativity in the locale renowned for the historic artworks, artworks taken from the king's palace by UK forces in the 19th Century.

Preparation and Promise

It is remarkable – and ahead of the planned opening, Mowaa was energetic with employees determined to prove it is a venue that can compete with renowned art institutions in the Western world.

Within preservation experts meticulously opened artworks from safety materials, inspecting each artifact and taking detailed notes before arranging them on exhibition areas and stands.

Technicians adjusted temperature regulation systems. In the research lab, staff members calibrated devices meant to maintain ancient objects.

Financial Backing and Economic Vision

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

"I aim us to have a major financial effect on communities in this region," he told the press, noting that he hoped to make Benin City "a tourism center."

Mowaa, a not-for-profit local organization, sees itself creating more than 30,000 work positions and providing more than $80m each year to the local cultural industry through alliances and events.

Financial Support and Government Issues

It has taken $25m to achieve this stage – capital raised from different donors, such as the French and German governments, the British Museum and the local administration.

But currently the local government has pulled the rug from below it – canceling the utilization of the land on which the building was erected.

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

Demonstrations and Government Action

This statement followed protests on Sunday, when people invaded the campus demanding it be named the Benin Royal Museum.

A boisterous assembly confronted overseas dignitaries at the venue ahead of the opening – compelling them to be escorted out under police escort.

National leader Bola Tinubu has also intervened to work to address the tensions, setting up a special task force to do some damage control.

Governance Issues

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

A great deal of it stems from local power struggles at a local state level, as it was Edo's previous governor Godwin Obaseki – whose term in office concluded last year – who was a key supporter of the initiative.

And it looks like the administration of the current leader, a close ally of the local traditional ruler, referred to as the traditional leader, may want greater involvement in the initiative. The demonstrators on Sunday, for instance, were demanding that the facility be placed under the authority of the current Oba.

The Cultural Artifacts Debate

This emphasizes the disputed topic of the historical artworks, one of Africa's most famous cultural treasures.

Because although the institution does ultimately open, these artifacts will be clearly not present.

They are metal, ivory and timber artworks that once decorated the king's residence of the ancient kingdom before British soldiers took them in the colonial era during a military operation.

Today, numerous continue to be spread across galleries in Europe and North America -- including the British Museum, European center and the American museum.

Return Initiatives

Their return has become one of the most disputed discussions in the global art world. Approximately 150 have now been returned – and more are scheduled to be repatriated.

When proposals for the institution in the city were initially revealed in 2019, the movers and shakers on the country's cultural sector anticipated it would become their ideal location – a advanced campus to exhibit them to the international community.

But the situation became complicated recently after the central administration stated that the traditional ruler would be the rightful owner of returned objects – and the monarch's court pushed for a museum under the royal family's direct control, against the wishes of the former governor.

Political Navigation

This left Mowaa in a challenging circumstance: expressing a definite position on restitution while staying tactful on ownership – and highlighting its wider mission, which led to|c