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The nation's stunning new West African Art Museum (Mowaa) has landed in the middle of regional political struggles during the period it was expected to – but was unable – to welcome visitors to the public for the first time.

The Ambitious Project

The 15-acre campus stands in the core of Benin City, capital of the southern region of Edo – and contains an historical dig and structures created by high-profile dual heritage architect Sir David Adjaye, particularly noted for the Washington African American Museum that was inaugurated in the US capital in 2016.

It has been five years in the making – and is designed to celebrate both the heritage and the present of creativity in the locale renowned for the Benin Bronzes, historical pieces taken from the city's royal palace by British troops in the nineteenth century.

Preparation and Promise

It is remarkable – and ahead of the anticipated opening, Mowaa was buzzing with employees committed to show it is a institution that can compete with established cultural centers in the Europe and America.

Internally preservation experts precisely unwrapped art pieces from secure wrapping, checking each artifact and taking meticulous records before placing them on exhibition areas and stands.

Technicians fine-tuned climate control systems. In the research lab, personnel set up instruments intended to preserve historical artefacts.

Funding and Economic Goals

The venture has been the brainchild of investor Phillip Ihenacho – presently Mowaa's chief executive.

"I want us to have a major economic benefit on area populations around here," he stated to the press, noting that he aspired to make this urban center "a tourism center."

Mowaa, a non-profit Nigerian institution, envisions itself creating over 30,000 employment opportunities and contributing above $80m annually to the regional creative economy through alliances and activities.

Financial Support and Government Issues

It has needed $25m to get here – funds raised from different donors, such as the European governments, the UK museum and the Edo state government.

But now the state authorities has pulled the rug from under it – revoking the use of the land on which the museum was built.

An official representative clarified this was because in the original paperwork it had called itself the Edo-named institution – and it had since removed "the state identifier" from its name.

Protests and Political Intervention

This announcement followed protests on recently, when activists stormed the campus calling for it be designated the Benin Royal Museum.

A boisterous assembly confronted foreign guests at the museum ahead of the opening – forcing them to be escorted out under security protection.

Head of state Bola Tinubu has even become involved to try and resolve the conflict, creating a presidential committee to address the controversy.

Governance Issues

But in what way has this turned into so politicised – and such a reputation problem?

A great deal of it results from local power struggles at a regional government level, as it was the former state leader Godwin Obaseki – whose administration concluded recently – who was a major backer of the project.

And it appears the administration of the current leader, a key associate of the local traditional ruler, known as the royal figure, may want greater involvement in the project. The activists on Sunday, for example, were insisting that the museum be put under the control of Oba Ewuare II.

The Cultural Artifacts Debate

This emphasizes the disputed topic of the Benin Bronzes, one of Africa's most famous artistic heritage.

Because though the institution does eventually open, these artifacts will be conspicuously absent.

They are brass, ivory and wooden artworks that once adorned the royal palace of the ancient kingdom before British soldiers stole them in the colonial era during a military operation.

Today, many continue to be spread across institutions in the West -- featuring the London museum, German museum and the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Restitution Efforts

Their return has become one of the most contested debates in the worldwide cultural sector. Approximately 150 have now been returned – and additional are scheduled to be repatriated.

When ideas for the institution in Benin City were originally proposed in the pre-pandemic era, the key players on Nigeria's art scene expected it would become their ideal location – a modern facility to show them off to the global audience.

But the waters were muddied two years ago after the federal government declared that the Oba would be the proper guardian of any returned bronzes – and the palace advocated for a facility under the royal family's direct control, against the preferences of the former governor.

Strategic Positioning

This placed Mowaa in a delicate position: expressing a clear stance on return while remaining diplomatic on ownership – and stressing its broader vision, which led to|c