Nigeria's impressive new Art Museum of West Africa (Mowaa) has ended up in the middle of local power politics during the week it was scheduled to – but was unable – to begin operations to the public for the very first time.
The Ambitious Project
The 15-acre facility stands in the heart of the Edo state capital, administrative center of the southern state of Edo – and features an excavation site and facilities created by renowned dual heritage architect Sir David Adjaye, best known for the National Museum of African American History and Culture that opened in Washington in 2016.
It has been 60 months in the making – and is designed to honor both the heritage and the present of artistic expression in the region known for the historic artworks, artworks taken from the royal palace by British soldiers in the 1800s.
Readiness and Potential
It is remarkable – and prior to the anticipated opening, Mowaa was energetic with staff resolved to prove it is a venue that can rival renowned art institutions in the Western world.
Internally art restorers meticulously revealed artworks from protective packaging, checking each item and taking meticulous notes before arranging them on display surfaces and bases.
Specialists adjusted temperature regulation systems. In the research lab, personnel adjusted devices designed to preserve ancient items.
Investment and Economic Plans
The project has been the idea of businessman Phillip Ihenacho – currently Mowaa's managing director.
"I want us to have a significant economic benefit on area populations in this region," he told media outlets, mentioning that he aspired to make this urban center "a tourism center."
Mowaa, a not-for-profit national foundation, envisions itself creating over 30,000 direct and indirect jobs and providing more than $80m per year to the area arts sector through partnerships and events.
Financial Support and Government Issues
It has needed $25m to reach this point – capital gathered from various supporters, including the French and German governments, the London institution and the Edo state government.
But at present the state authorities has pulled the rug from under it – canceling the utilization of the land on which the museum was built.
An government communicator clarified this was because in the early agreements it had called itself Edo Museum of West African Art – and it had later dropped "the state identifier" from its name.
Protests and Political Intervention
This announcement came after rallies on Sunday, when protesters stormed the complex insisting it be called the Benin Royal Museum.
A rowdy assembly insulted international visitors at the venue before the opening – requiring them to be hurried away under police escort.
National leader Bola Tinubu has also stepped in to work to address the dispute, establishing a high-level committee to manage the situation.
Political Complexities
But how has this become so divisive – and such a PR disaster?
A great deal of it results from internecine rivalries at a local state level, as it was Edo's previous governor Godwin Obaseki – whose governance concluded recently – who was a key supporter of the initiative.
And it looks like the administration of the current leader, a key associate of the regional monarch, referred to as the Oba, may seek greater involvement in the venture. The demonstrators on the weekend, for instance, were demanding that the facility be positioned under the supervision of Oba Ewuare II.
The Benin Bronzes Controversy
This emphasizes the disputed topic of the historical artworks, one of the continent's most famous cultural treasures.
Because even if the museum does eventually welcome visitors, these bronzes will be clearly not present.
They are brass, ivory and timber artworks that once decorated the king's residence of the ancient kingdom before British soldiers took them in the colonial era during a military operation.
Currently, numerous continue to be spread across galleries in Europe and North America -- such as the UK institution, European center and the American museum.
Return Initiatives
Their return has become one of the most disputed debates in the global art world. Roughly 150 have presently been returned – and more are expected to return.
When ideas for the museum in the city were initially revealed in 2019, the influential figures on the national arts community hoped it would become their perfect venue – a advanced complex to display them to the international community.
But the waters were muddied two years ago after the central administration declared that the Oba would be the rightful owner of repatriated artifacts – and the monarch's court campaigned for a facility under the monarch's supervision, opposing the preferences of the former governor.
Political Navigation
This placed Mowaa in a delicate position: expressing a specific viewpoint on return while staying tactful on ownership – and highlighting its broader vision, which led to|c
