Nigeria's stunning new Art Museum of West Africa (Mowaa) has ended up in the crosshairs of local power politics during the period it was supposed to – but was unable – to begin operations to the general public for the first time.
The Ambitious Project
The large-scale campus stands in the core of the Edo state capital, capital of the southern region of Edo – and contains an archaeological dig and buildings created by renowned Ghanaian-British architect Sir David Adjaye, best known for the Smithsonian African American Museum that opened in Washington DC in 2016.
It has been 60 months in the creation – and is designed to honor both the history and the current era of cultural innovation in the region renowned for the cultural artifacts, artworks looted from the city's royal palace by UK forces in the 1800s.
Preparation and Promise
It is notable – and ahead of the scheduled opening, Mowaa was active with staff resolved to demonstrate it is a place that can rival well-known museums and galleries in the Western world.
Inside art restorers precisely unwrapped cultural items from protective packaging, checking each artifact and taking thorough records before positioning them on display surfaces and bases.
Technicians calibrated temperature regulation systems. In the research lab, personnel adjusted instruments meant to preserve historical items.
Funding and Economic Goals
The initiative has been the brainchild of entrepreneur Phillip Ihenacho – currently Mowaa's managing director.
"I hope us to have a substantial financial effect on area populations around here," he told the press, noting that he aspired to make Benin City "a cultural destination."
Mowaa, a charitable Nigerian institution, envisions itself generating more than 30,000 employment opportunities and contributing above $80m per year to the regional creative economy through collaborations and programming.
Investment and Administrative Problems
It has required $25m to reach this point – money collected from multiple supporters, including the European governments, the British Museum and the local administration.
But at present the state authorities has withdrawn support from under it – terminating the utilization of the land on which the facility was constructed.
An government communicator stated this was because in the original paperwork it had called itself EMOWAA – and it had later eliminated "the state identifier" from its name.
Demonstrations and Government Action
This declaration came after rallies on Sunday, when people entered the complex calling for it be named the Royal Benin Museum.
A boisterous assembly harassed overseas dignitaries at the venue before the opening – forcing them to be hurried away under official guard.
Head of state Bola Tinubu has also become involved to try and resolve the tensions, establishing a high-level committee to do some damage control.
Administrative Challenges
But how has this evolved into so politicised – and such a PR disaster?
Much of it stems from local power struggles at a regional government level, as it was Edo's previous governor Godwin Obaseki – whose administration ended recently – who was a key supporter of the project.
And it appears the leadership of the current leader, a key associate of the local traditional ruler, referred to as the royal figure, may want more of a stake in the venture. The demonstrators on the weekend, for example, were insisting that the museum be placed under the control of Oba Ewuare II.
The Cultural Artifacts Debate
This brings into focus the contentious issue of the historical artworks, one of the region's most famous artistic heritage.
Because though the institution does ultimately open, these artifacts will be noticeably missing.
They are brass, ivory and timber sculptures that once embellished the king's residence of the ancient kingdom before British soldiers looted them in 1897 during a punitive expedition.
Currently, many continue to be distributed across galleries in the West -- such as the British Museum, German museum and the New York institution.
Repatriation Campaigns
Their repatriation has become one of the most disputed conversations in the international art community. Roughly 150 have presently made their way home – and further are scheduled to be repatriated.
When plans for the museum in the city were initially revealed in 2019, the movers and shakers on the country's cultural sector hoped it would become their natural home – a state-of-the-art facility to show them off to the global audience.
But the waters were muddied two years ago after the national authorities declared that the Oba would be the proper guardian of any returned bronzes – and the palace campaigned for a institution under the royal family's direct control, contrary to the desires of Obaseki.
Strategic Positioning
This left Mowaa in a difficult situation: asserting a clear stance on restitution while staying tactful on custodianship – and highlighting its larger purpose, which led to|c
