Nigeria's remarkable new Art Museum of West Africa (Mowaa) has landed in the middle of regional political struggles during the period it was expected to – but failed – to open its doors to the public for the initial occasion.
The large-scale complex is located in the core of Benin's urban center, capital of the southern state of Edo – and features an excavation site and facilities designed by renowned dual heritage architect Sir David Adjaye, particularly noted for the Smithsonian African American Museum that began operations in Washington in 2016.
It has been five years in the making – and is envisioned to honor both the history and the present of creativity in the region renowned for the cultural artifacts, historical pieces looted from the king's palace by British soldiers in the nineteenth century.
It is remarkable – and before the planned opening, Mowaa was energetic with workers committed to prove it is a institution that can rival renowned cultural centers in the Western world.
Internally art restorers meticulously revealed art pieces from protective packaging, inspecting each piece and taking meticulous records before arranging them on walls and stands.
Experts calibrated climate control systems. In the research lab, officers calibrated equipment intended to preserve centuries-old items.
The project has been the idea of entrepreneur Phillip Ihenacho – currently Mowaa's chief executive.
"I aim us to have a significant economic impact on area populations in this region," he told journalists, mentioning that he wanted to make the city "a tourism center."
Mowaa, a charitable national foundation, aims at establishing over 30,000 employment opportunities and contributing above $80m per year to the area arts sector through partnerships and activities.
It has required $25m to get here – money gathered from various donors, such as the European governments, the UK museum and the local administration.
But currently the regional administration has revoked permission from below it – canceling the utilization of the property on which the building was erected.
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 regional name" from its title.
This statement came after protests on Sunday, when activists entered the complex demanding it be designated the Museum of the Benin Kingdom.
A disruptive assembly insulted foreign guests at the museum before the launch – compelling them to be escorted out under official guard.
President Bola Tinubu has also stepped in to attempt to settle the dispute, setting up a special task force to address the controversy.
But how has this turned into so politicised – and such a PR disaster?
A great deal of it stems from internal conflicts at a area administrative level, as it was the ex-administrator Godwin Obaseki – whose term in office ended last year – who was a key supporter of the project.
And it looks like the government of the current leader, a key associate of the local traditional ruler, known as the traditional leader, may seek increased control in the project. The demonstrators on that day, for example, were insisting that the museum be placed under the control of the current Oba.
This brings into focus the disputed topic of the historical artworks, one of the region's most celebrated cultural treasures.
Because although the museum does eventually welcome visitors, these artifacts will be noticeably missing.
They are brass, ivory and timber artworks that once adorned the king's residence of the Benin Kingdom before British soldiers stole them in the late nineteenth century during a punitive expedition.
Currently, many continue to be distributed across galleries in the West -- including the UK institution, German museum and the New York institution.
Their repatriation has become one of the most disputed debates in the global art world. Approximately 150 have now been returned – and more are scheduled to be repatriated.
When plans for the facility in Benin City were initially revealed in the pre-pandemic era, the influential figures on the country's cultural sector anticipated it would become their ideal location – a modern complex to show them off to the world.
But the situation became complicated some time back after the national authorities announced that the traditional ruler would be the proper guardian of returned objects – and the palace pushed for a museum under the monarch's supervision, contrary to the preferences of Obaseki.
This placed Mowaa in a challenging circumstance: asserting a definite position on repatriation while being careful on custodianship – and highlighting its wider mission, which led to|c
A seasoned journalist with a passion for uncovering stories that matter in the Czech Republic and beyond.
