🔗 Share this article

The nation's stunning new Art Museum of West Africa (Mowaa) has found itself in the middle of local power politics during the time it was expected to – but did not manage – to open its doors to the general public for the initial occasion.

The Major Initiative

The large-scale facility stands in the center of Benin's urban center, main city of the southern region of Edo – and contains an excavation site and buildings planned by high-profile Ghanaian-British architect Sir David Adjaye, most famous for the Washington African American Museum that was inaugurated in Washington DC in 2016.

It has been 60 months in the making – and is planned to showcase both the heritage and the modern times of cultural innovation in the area famous for the Benin Bronzes, cultural objects looted from the royal palace by British troops in the 19th Century.

Setup and Prospects

It is remarkable – and before the anticipated opening, Mowaa was buzzing with employees determined to demonstrate it is a institution that can rival well-known art institutions in the Western world.

Within conservators carefully revealed art pieces from secure wrapping, checking each item and taking thorough records before placing them on display surfaces and bases.

Technicians calibrated temperature regulation systems. In the materials science laboratory, personnel adjusted instruments designed to conserve centuries-old items.

Investment and Economic Plans

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

"I aim us to have a significant economic benefit on communities around here," he stated to the press, mentioning that he hoped to make Benin City "a cultural destination."

Mowaa, a non-profit Nigerian institution, envisions itself creating over 30,000 work positions and contributing above $80m each year to the local cultural industry through alliances and events.

Investment and Administrative Problems

It has needed $25m to get here – funds collected from multiple contributors, including the European governments, the UK museum and the Edo state government.

But now the state authorities has revoked permission from below it – canceling the occupancy of the site on which the museum was built.

An official representative explained this was because in the original paperwork it had referred to itself as Edo Museum of West African Art – and it had since eliminated "the state identifier" from its designation.

Unrest and Official Response

This announcement was preceded by demonstrations on the weekend, when protesters invaded the campus insisting it be called the Museum of the Benin Kingdom.

A rowdy assembly insulted international visitors at the museum ahead of the launch – forcing them to be hurried away under official guard.

Head of state Bola Tinubu has also stepped in to work to address the dispute, establishing a high-level committee to manage the situation.

Governance Issues

But why has this become so politicised – and such a public relations crisis?

The majority of it results from local power struggles at a local state level, as it was the ex-administrator Godwin Obaseki – whose governance finished recently – who was a major backer of the museum.

And it looks like the government of the recently elected official, a close ally of the regional monarch, known as the traditional leader, may desire greater involvement in the initiative. The demonstrators on Sunday, for instance, were calling for that the institution be positioned under the supervision of Oba Ewuare II.

The Cultural Artifacts Debate

This brings into focus the disputed topic of the cultural artifacts, one of the region's most celebrated historical legacy.

Because though the museum does ultimately welcome visitors, these artifacts will be clearly not present.

They are brass, ivory and wooden sculptures that once adorned the royal palace of the Benin Kingdom before British soldiers took them in the colonial era during a military operation.

Currently, numerous stay spread across institutions in the West -- such as the British Museum, Berlin's Humboldt Forum and the American museum.

Repatriation Campaigns

Their repatriation has become one of the most disputed conversations in the worldwide cultural sector. About 150 have presently made their way home – and additional are due to follow.

When proposals for the museum in Benin City were originally proposed in the pre-pandemic era, the influential figures on Nigeria's art scene expected it would become their ideal location – a modern campus to display them to the world.

But the issues became confused recently after the federal government declared that the royal leader would be the legal custodian of repatriated artifacts – and the royal household advocated for a institution under the monarch's supervision, opposing the preferences of Obaseki.

Diplomatic Challenges

This placed Mowaa in a difficult situation: asserting a definite position on return while staying tactful on ownership – and highlighting its broader vision, which led to|c