Nigeria's remarkable new Art Museum of West Africa (Mowaa) has landed in the crosshairs of local power politics during the period it was expected to – but failed – to welcome visitors to the public for the very first time.
The Ambitious Project
The 15-acre campus is located in the core of the Edo state capital, main city of the southern state of Edo – and includes an archaeological dig and buildings created by celebrated British-Ghanaian architect Sir David Adjaye, best known for the National Museum of African American History and Culture that began operations in the US capital in 2016.
It has been half a decade in the making – and is planned to showcase both the heritage and the present of cultural innovation in the area famous for the Benin Bronzes, historical pieces taken from the king's palace by British troops in the nineteenth century.
Preparation and Promise
It is notable – and prior to the anticipated opening, Mowaa was energetic with workers committed to demonstrate it is a institution that can match established art institutions in the Western world.
Within art restorers meticulously revealed art pieces from safety materials, inspecting each item and taking meticulous records before placing them on display surfaces and bases.
Technicians fine-tuned environmental controls. In the materials science laboratory, staff members adjusted instruments meant to conserve centuries-old objects.
Funding and Economic Goals
The venture has been the concept of businessman Phillip Ihenacho – currently Mowaa's managing director.
"I hope us to have a significant economic impact on area populations around here," he told journalists, adding that he hoped to make the city "a cultural destination."
Mowaa, a not-for-profit Nigerian institution, sees itself establishing more than 30,000 direct and indirect jobs and adding more than $80m per year to the local cultural industry through partnerships and programming.
Financial Support and Government Issues
It has needed $25m to get here – funds raised from multiple donors, such as the international partners, the London institution and the Edo state government.
But now the regional administration has revoked permission from below it – terminating the occupancy of the site on which the facility was constructed.
An Edo state spokesperson clarified this was because in the initial documents it had called itself Edo Museum of West African Art – and it had later dropped "the state identifier" from its title.
Unrest and Official Response
This declaration was preceded by demonstrations on the weekend, when activists stormed the facility demanding it be designated the Benin Royal Museum.
A rowdy group confronted foreign guests at the facility before the launch – forcing them to be escorted out under police escort.
President Bola Tinubu has also intervened to attempt to settle the dispute, establishing a high-level committee to do some damage control.
Governance Issues
But how has this become so controversial – and such a reputation problem?
A great deal of it comes down to local power struggles at a regional government level, as it was the ex-administrator Godwin Obaseki – whose term in office finished recently – who was a key supporter of the project.
And it appears the leadership of the current leader, a strong supporter of the regional monarch, referred to as the traditional leader, may want more of a stake in the project. The activists on Sunday, for case, were calling for that the facility be put 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 renowned cultural treasures.
Because even if the museum does finally begin operations, these artifacts will be conspicuously absent.
They are metal, ivory and wooden sculptures that once adorned the king's residence of the Benin Kingdom before colonial troops stole them in 1897 during a military operation.
Nowadays, thousands stay spread across museums in the West -- such as the British Museum, Berlin's Humboldt Forum and the American museum.
Restitution Efforts
Their return has become one of the most contested debates in the global art world. Approximately 150 have presently been returned – and more are due to follow.
When plans for the institution in the city were initially revealed in the pre-pandemic era, the key players on the country's cultural sector hoped it would become their ideal location – a modern complex to show them off to the global audience.
But the waters were muddied recently after the central administration stated that the royal leader would be the proper guardian of any returned bronzes – and the monarch's court pushed for a museum under the monarch's supervision, against the wishes of the former governor.
Political Navigation
This placed Mowaa in a challenging circumstance: expressing a clear stance on repatriation while staying tactful on guardianship – and highlighting its broader vision, which led to|c
