🔗 Share this article

The nation's remarkable new Museum of West African Art (Mowaa) has ended up in the crosshairs of local power politics during the period it was expected to – but did not manage – to welcome visitors to the public for the very first time.

The Grand Vision

The six-hectare complex stands in the heart of the Edo state capital, administrative center of the southern region of Edo – and includes an historical dig and facilities designed by high-profile Ghanaian-British architect Sir David Adjaye, best known for the Washington African American Museum that was inaugurated in Washington DC in 2016.

It has been five years in the development – and is planned to honor both the heritage and the present of artistic expression in the region famous for the cultural artifacts, cultural objects stolen from the king's palace by British soldiers in the nineteenth century.

Setup and Prospects

It is impressive – and before the anticipated opening, Mowaa was active with workers resolved to show it is a place that can match established cultural centers in the Europe and America.

Internally conservators precisely opened artworks from safety materials, checking each item and taking thorough notes before placing them on display surfaces and plinths.

Specialists adjusted climate control systems. In the research lab, personnel calibrated instruments intended to conserve historical artefacts.

Financial Backing and Economic Vision

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

"I want us to have a major economic benefit on communities around here," he explained to media outlets, adding that he aspired to make the city "a tourism center."

Mowaa, a non-profit Nigerian institution, envisions itself creating more than 30,000 work positions and contributing over $80m annually to the regional creative economy through alliances and programming.

Investment and Administrative Problems

It has taken $25m to reach this point – capital raised from multiple donors, featuring the European governments, the UK museum and the Edo state government.

But currently the regional administration has withdrawn support from beneath it – terminating the utilization of the site on which the building was erected.

An Edo state spokesperson explained this was because in the early agreements it had called itself the Edo-named institution – and it had later removed "the regional name" from its name.

Unrest and Official Response

This announcement came after demonstrations on recently, when people stormed the facility demanding it be called the Royal Benin Museum.

A boisterous crowd insulted international visitors at the venue ahead of the opening – requiring them to be escorted out under security protection.

Head of state Bola Tinubu has even stepped in to try and resolve the tensions, creating a presidential committee to manage the situation.

Administrative Challenges

But how has this turned into so politicised – and such a reputation problem?

Much of it comes down to internecine rivalries at a regional government level, as it was the ex-administrator Godwin Obaseki – whose term in office finished the previous year – who was a major backer of the project.

And it appears the government of the current leader, a key associate of the area king, referred to as the Oba, may seek greater involvement in the initiative. The demonstrators on the weekend, for instance, were calling for that the facility be placed under the supervision of Oba Ewuare II.

The Cultural Artifacts Debate

This brings into focus the disputed topic of the historical artworks, one of the continent's most celebrated historical legacy.

Because although the institution does eventually begin operations, these objects will be noticeably missing.

They are brass, elephant tusk and timber sculptures that once embellished the royal palace of the Benin Kingdom before UK forces looted them in the late nineteenth century during a punitive expedition.

Today, many remain distributed across museums in Western nations -- featuring the British Museum, European center and the New York institution.

Return Initiatives

Their homecoming has become one of the most contested discussions in the global art world. Roughly 150 have currently been returned – and more are scheduled to be repatriated.

When plans for the museum in the city were first announced in 2019, the movers and shakers on the country's cultural sector anticipated it would become their natural home – a modern facility to exhibit them to the world.

But the waters were muddied some time back after the national authorities declared that the traditional ruler would be the proper guardian of repatriated artifacts – and the palace campaigned for a facility under the royal family's direct control, opposing the preferences of the former governor.

Diplomatic Challenges

This left Mowaa in a delicate position: expressing a clear stance on repatriation while being careful on guardianship – and emphasising its broader vision, which led to|c