Nigeria's impressive new Art Museum of West Africa (Mowaa) has ended up in the middle of regional political struggles during the period it was scheduled to – but was unable – to welcome visitors to the general public for the initial occasion.
The large-scale facility stands in the heart of the Edo state capital, administrative center of the southern area of Edo – and features an archaeological dig and structures created by renowned British-Ghanaian architect Sir David Adjaye, best known for the Smithsonian African American Museum that opened in the US capital in 2016.
It has been half a decade in the making – and is envisioned to celebrate both the past and the current era of artistic expression in the region renowned for the Benin Bronzes, historical pieces stolen from the city's royal palace by British troops in the nineteenth century.
It is remarkable – and ahead of the anticipated opening, Mowaa was energetic with workers committed to prove it is a venue that can rival well-known cultural centers in the Western world.
Within art restorers precisely unwrapped artworks from protective packaging, checking each artifact and taking detailed notes before placing them on walls and plinths.
Experts calibrated environmental controls. In the scientific facility, officers adjusted instruments intended to maintain ancient items.
The initiative has been the brainchild of investor Phillip Ihenacho – now Mowaa's executive director.
"I hope us to have a major financial effect on local residents in the vicinity," he explained to journalists, adding that he hoped to make this urban center "a cultural destination."
Mowaa, a non-profit local organization, envisions itself establishing in excess of 30,000 employment opportunities and providing above $80m each year to the area arts sector through collaborations and programming.
It has needed $25m to achieve this stage – money gathered from multiple donors, featuring the European governments, the British Museum and the regional authorities.
But now the state authorities has pulled the rug from below it – revoking the use of the site on which the museum was built.
An Edo state spokesperson stated this was because in the early agreements it had referred to itself as the Edo-named institution – and it had subsequently removed "the regional name" from its name.
This announcement was preceded by protests on recently, when people invaded the complex calling for it be designated the Museum of the Benin Kingdom.
A boisterous crowd harassed overseas dignitaries at the museum ahead of the inauguration – requiring them to be quickly removed under security protection.
President Bola Tinubu has even stepped in to try and resolve the dispute, creating a presidential committee to manage the situation.
But in what way has this become so politicised – and such a public relations crisis?
The majority of it comes down to local power struggles at a regional government level, as it was Edo's previous governor Godwin Obaseki – whose governance ended last year – who was a primary advocate of the initiative.
And it seems the leadership of the new governor, a strong supporter of the local traditional ruler, known as the traditional leader, may want more of a stake in the initiative. The activists on Sunday, for example, were demanding that the museum be placed under the supervision of the royal leader.
This brings into focus the disputed topic of the historical artworks, one of the continent's most renowned cultural treasures.
Because even if the facility does eventually open, these objects will be clearly not present.
They are metal, elephant tusk and wooden sculptures that once embellished the monarch's home of the ancient kingdom before colonial troops stole them in 1897 during a military operation.
Today, thousands stay scattered across institutions in Western nations -- such as the UK institution, German museum and the American museum.
Their return has become one of the most disputed debates in the international art community. Roughly 150 have presently made their way home – and more are scheduled to be repatriated.
When plans for the institution in the city were initially revealed in 2019, the key players on Nigeria's art scene hoped it would become their natural home – a modern complex to exhibit them to the world.
But the waters were muddied some time back after the federal government declared that the Oba would be the legal custodian of any returned bronzes – and the palace advocated for a facility under the royal family's direct control, opposing the preferences of the former governor.
This placed Mowaa in a difficult situation: maintaining a specific viewpoint on restitution while remaining diplomatic on ownership – and stressing its broader vision, which led to|c
Elena Vance is a digital strategist with over a decade of experience in UK business consulting, specializing in technology-driven growth solutions.