Nigeria's impressive new Museum of West African Art (Mowaa) has ended up in the center of local power politics during the week it was expected to – but failed – to welcome visitors to the general public for the very first time.
The Grand Vision
The six-hectare complex sits in the core of Benin's urban center, capital of the southern state of Edo – and features an historical dig and buildings created by celebrated Ghanaian-British architect Sir David Adjaye, particularly noted for the Smithsonian African American Museum that opened in Washington in 2016.
It has been five years in the development – and is designed to honor both the history and the present of cultural innovation in the region famous for the Benin Bronzes, artworks looted from the city's royal palace by British soldiers in the 19th Century.
Preparation and Promise
It is remarkable – and before the planned opening, Mowaa was buzzing with staff determined to demonstrate it is a institution that can match renowned art institutions in the Western world.
Inside conservators carefully opened artworks from safety materials, inspecting each artifact and taking meticulous documentation before positioning them on walls and bases.
Experts adjusted environmental controls. In the research lab, personnel set up equipment intended to preserve centuries-old items.
Investment and Economic Plans
The project has been the concept of businessman Phillip Ihenacho – currently Mowaa's executive director.
"I want us to have a significant economic impact on local residents in this region," he told media outlets, mentioning that he aspired to make Benin City "a cultural destination."
Mowaa, a charitable Nigerian institution, sees itself generating more than 30,000 direct and indirect jobs and providing over $80m per year to the area arts sector through alliances and events.
Funding Sources and Political Challenges
It has needed $25m to get here – funds raised from various donors, including the European governments, the London institution and the regional authorities.
But now the state authorities has withdrawn support from below it – revoking the occupancy of the site on which the building was erected.
An Edo state spokesperson clarified this was because in the initial documents it had called itself EMOWAA – and it had subsequently eliminated "the state identifier" from its title.
Protests and Political Intervention
This statement followed demonstrations on the weekend, when activists invaded the campus calling for it be called the Benin Royal Museum.
A boisterous crowd confronted international visitors at the museum prior to the inauguration – requiring them to be escorted out under security protection.
Head of state Bola Tinubu has additionally intervened to try and resolve the dispute, setting up a high-level committee to do some damage control.
Administrative Challenges
But why has this turned into so controversial – and such a PR disaster?
Much of it stems from internal conflicts at a area administrative level, as it was the ex-administrator Godwin Obaseki – whose term in office concluded last year – who was a primary advocate of the initiative.
And it seems the administration of the recently elected official, a key associate of the local traditional ruler, called the royal figure, may want more of a stake in the project. The activists on Sunday, for example, were insisting that the museum be positioned under the control of the current Oba.
The Historical Objects Discussion
This highlights the controversial matter of the Benin Bronzes, one of Africa's most famous historical legacy.
Because although the museum does eventually welcome visitors, these objects will be noticeably missing.
They are brass, ivory and wooden artworks that once embellished the king's residence of the Benin Kingdom before UK forces took them in the late nineteenth century during a colonial invasion.
Currently, thousands remain spread across museums in Europe and North America -- including the UK institution, Berlin's Humboldt Forum and the New York institution.
Repatriation Campaigns
Their return has become one of the most contested discussions in the international art community. About 150 have currently come back – and additional are scheduled to be repatriated.
When plans for the facility in Benin City were originally proposed in 2019, the influential figures on Nigeria's art scene hoped it would become their perfect venue – a modern campus to exhibit them to the international community.
But the situation became complicated recently after the federal government declared that the Oba would be the rightful owner of returned objects – and the palace pushed for a facility under the king's authority, opposing the wishes of the former governor.
Political Navigation
This left Mowaa in a challenging circumstance: expressing a clear stance on restitution while being careful on custodianship – and stressing its wider mission, which led to|c
