The nation's stunning new West African Art Museum (Mowaa) has landed in the crosshairs of regional political struggles during the time it was supposed to – but did not manage – to welcome visitors to the general public for the very first time.
The Major Initiative
The six-hectare complex stands in the center of Benin City, capital of the southern region of Edo – and features an archaeological dig and structures designed by high-profile British-Ghanaian architect Sir David Adjaye, most famous for the Smithsonian African American Museum that was inaugurated in Washington DC in 2016.
It has been 60 months in the making – and is envisioned to showcase both the heritage and the present of cultural innovation in the area known for the historic artworks, historical pieces stolen from the city's royal palace by UK forces in the 19th Century.
Setup and Prospects
It is impressive – and before the planned opening, Mowaa was active with workers committed to show it is a institution that can compete with established art institutions in the West.
Within conservators meticulously unwrapped cultural items from secure wrapping, examining each piece and taking meticulous records before arranging them on walls and stands.
Specialists fine-tuned environmental controls. In the research lab, officers set up instruments intended to preserve historical artefacts.
Investment and Economic Plans
The project has been the brainchild of investor Phillip Ihenacho – currently Mowaa's chief executive.
"I want us to have a major economic benefit on local residents in this region," he stated to media outlets, noting that he aspired to make the city "an arts hub."
Mowaa, a not-for-profit national foundation, aims at creating in excess of 30,000 work positions and contributing over $80m per year to the regional creative economy through collaborations and events.
Financial Support and Government Issues
It has required $25m to achieve this stage – funds collected from multiple contributors, featuring the French and German governments, the UK museum and the local administration.
But currently the regional administration has withdrawn support from beneath it – terminating the utilization of the land on which the facility was constructed.
An Edo state spokesperson clarified this was because in the early agreements it had identified as EMOWAA – and it had since eliminated "the state identifier" from its title.
Protests and Political Intervention
This declaration was preceded by protests on Sunday, when activists stormed the facility calling for it be designated the Museum of the Benin Kingdom.
A rowdy group harassed foreign guests at the venue before the opening – requiring them to be hurried away under official guard.
President Bola Tinubu has also stepped in to work to address the conflict, creating a high-level committee to do some damage control.
Administrative Challenges
But in what way has this become so politicised – and such a reputation problem?
Much of it comes down to local power struggles at a local state level, as it was Edo's previous governor Godwin Obaseki – whose administration ended recently – who was a key supporter of the project.
And it seems the government of the recently elected official, a key associate of the area king, referred to as the Oba, may want greater involvement in the project. The activists on Sunday, for example, were insisting that the institution be positioned under the control of Oba Ewuare II.
The Cultural Artifacts Debate
This highlights the controversial matter of the historical artworks, one of the continent's most renowned cultural treasures.
Because even if the facility does eventually welcome visitors, these objects will be noticeably missing.
They are metal, ivory and timber sculptures that once decorated the royal palace of the Benin Kingdom before UK forces stole them in the colonial era during a punitive expedition.
Nowadays, thousands continue to be scattered across museums in the West -- such as the UK institution, Berlin's Humboldt Forum and the American museum.
Repatriation Campaigns
Their homecoming has become one of the most contested discussions in the international art community. Roughly 150 have now been returned – and more are due to follow.
When plans for the institution in the city were first announced in recent years, the key players on Nigeria's art scene anticipated it would become their perfect venue – a modern complex to show them off to the global audience.
But the situation became complicated two years ago after the central administration stated that the royal leader would be the proper guardian of repatriated artifacts – and the royal household advocated for a facility under the royal family's direct control, opposing the desires of the former governor.
Strategic Positioning
This left Mowaa in a delicate position: asserting a definite position on restitution while staying tactful on guardianship – and emphasising its broader vision, which led to|c
