🔗 Share this article

Nigeria's remarkable new West African Art Museum (Mowaa) has found itself in the center of area political conflicts during the time it was supposed to – but failed – to begin operations to the public for the very first time.

The Ambitious Project

The six-hectare complex sits in the center of Benin City, capital of the southern region of Edo – and features an historical dig and buildings designed by celebrated dual heritage architect Sir David Adjaye, best known for the National Museum of African American History and Culture that began operations in Washington in 2016.

It has been five years in the making – and is designed to showcase both the past and the present of cultural innovation in the locale famous for the Benin Bronzes, historical pieces taken from the king's palace by UK forces in the 1800s.

Preparation and Promise

It is notable – and ahead of the scheduled opening, Mowaa was buzzing with employees committed to show it is a venue that can compete with renowned cultural centers in the West.

Within preservation experts carefully unwrapped artworks from protective packaging, checking each item and taking meticulous documentation before placing them on walls and stands.

Technicians calibrated temperature regulation systems. In the materials science laboratory, officers set up devices intended to conserve historical artefacts.

Investment and Economic Plans

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

"I aim us to have a substantial economic benefit on local residents in the vicinity," he explained to journalists, adding that he aspired to make Benin City "an arts hub."

Mowaa, a not-for-profit Nigerian institution, aims at establishing more than 30,000 direct and indirect jobs and adding more than $80m each year to the area arts sector through partnerships and activities.

Investment and Administrative Problems

It has needed $25m to achieve this stage – funds gathered from various contributors, including the European governments, the London institution and the local administration.

But now the state authorities has pulled the rug from below it – canceling the occupancy of the land on which the museum was built.

An official representative explained this was because in the original paperwork it had identified as Edo Museum of West African Art – and it had later eliminated "Edo" from its name.

Demonstrations and Government Action

This announcement came after protests on the weekend, when protesters stormed the campus insisting it be named the Benin Royal Museum.

A disruptive group harassed foreign guests at the facility before the opening – requiring them to be quickly removed under police escort.

President Bola Tinubu has also become involved to try and resolve the dispute, setting up a special task force to address the controversy.

Administrative Challenges

But how has this evolved into so controversial – and such a reputation problem?

The majority of it stems from internal conflicts at a regional government level, as it was Edo's previous governor Godwin Obaseki – whose governance concluded recently – who was a key supporter of the museum.

And it looks like the leadership of the current leader, a close ally of the local traditional ruler, known as the Oba, may seek greater involvement in the initiative. The activists on Sunday, for instance, were insisting that the institution be positioned under the supervision of the current Oba.

The Cultural Artifacts Debate

This brings into focus the disputed topic of the historical artworks, one of the region's most famous artistic heritage.

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

They are brass, elephant tusk and timber carvings that once decorated the monarch's home of the Benin Kingdom before British soldiers looted them in the late nineteenth century during a colonial invasion.

Nowadays, numerous remain spread across galleries in Europe and North America -- including the London museum, Berlin's Humboldt Forum and the New York institution.

Repatriation Campaigns

Their repatriation has become one of the most disputed discussions in the global art world. Roughly 150 have presently made their way home – and additional are scheduled to be repatriated.

When plans for the facility in the urban center were first announced in the pre-pandemic era, the key players on Nigeria's art scene expected it would become their perfect venue – a state-of-the-art campus to display them to the international community.

But the waters were muddied two years ago after the central administration declared that the Oba would be the legal custodian of any returned bronzes – and the palace campaigned for a institution under the monarch's supervision, contrary to the preferences of Obaseki.

Strategic Positioning

This placed Mowaa in a challenging circumstance: asserting a specific viewpoint on restitution while remaining diplomatic on ownership – and highlighting its wider mission, which led to|c