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The nation's impressive new Art Museum of West Africa (Mowaa) has found itself in the middle of local power politics during the time it was expected to – but failed – to open its doors to the public for the very first time.

The Grand Vision

The six-hectare campus is located in the center of the Edo state capital, administrative center of the southern area of Edo – and includes an archaeological dig and buildings designed by high-profile British-Ghanaian architect Sir David Adjaye, most famous for the National Museum of African American History and Culture that opened in Washington DC in 2016.

It has been 60 months in the making – and is designed to showcase both the past and the current era of creativity in the area renowned for the cultural artifacts, cultural objects taken from the royal palace by British soldiers in the 1800s.

Setup and Prospects

It is impressive – and ahead of the planned opening, Mowaa was buzzing with staff determined to show it is a institution that can match established cultural centers in the West.

Within conservators precisely revealed artworks from protective packaging, examining each item and taking detailed notes before positioning them on display surfaces and plinths.

Technicians fine-tuned climate control systems. In the research lab, staff members set up instruments designed to conserve ancient objects.

Funding and Economic Goals

The initiative has been the concept of entrepreneur Phillip Ihenacho – currently Mowaa's managing director.

"I want us to have a substantial economic benefit on local residents around here," he explained to the press, noting that he aspired to make Benin City "a tourism center."

Mowaa, a charitable local organization, aims at generating more than 30,000 direct and indirect jobs and contributing more than $80m each year to the regional creative economy through partnerships and activities.

Financial Support and Government Issues

It has required $25m to get here – money collected from various donors, including the international partners, the UK museum and the local administration.

But currently the regional administration has pulled the rug from below it – canceling the utilization of the property on which the facility was constructed.

An government communicator stated this was because in the early agreements it had called itself Edo Museum of West African Art – and it had subsequently dropped "the regional name" from its title.

Unrest and Official Response

This statement followed protests on Sunday, when activists stormed the campus calling for it be named the Museum of the Benin Kingdom.

A disruptive crowd insulted overseas dignitaries at the museum ahead of the opening – forcing them to be quickly removed under security protection.

National leader Bola Tinubu has even stepped in to try and resolve the dispute, creating a special task force to address the controversy.

Administrative Challenges

But in what way has this evolved into so politicised – and such a public relations crisis?

A great deal of it comes down to internecine rivalries at a local state level, as it was the former state leader Godwin Obaseki – whose governance ended the previous year – who was a key supporter of the project.

And it appears the leadership of the recently elected official, a close ally of the local traditional ruler, called the Oba, may want more of a stake in the initiative. The demonstrators on Sunday, for example, were insisting that the institution be positioned under the supervision of Oba Ewuare II.

The Benin Bronzes Controversy

This brings into focus the controversial matter of the cultural artifacts, one of Africa's most renowned cultural treasures.

Because though the facility does finally welcome visitors, these artifacts will be conspicuously absent.

They are brass, elephant tusk and wooden sculptures that once adorned the monarch's home of the historical empire before UK forces looted them in the colonial era during a punitive expedition.

Today, many remain scattered across institutions in Europe and North America -- featuring the British Museum, European center and the American museum.

Restitution Efforts

Their homecoming has become one of the most contested debates in the international art community. Approximately 150 have currently been returned – and further are due to follow.

When proposals for the institution in the urban center were initially revealed in 2019, the influential figures on Nigeria's art scene hoped it would become their ideal location – a state-of-the-art campus to show them off to the global audience.

But the issues became confused two years ago after the national authorities announced that the royal leader would be the legal custodian of any returned bronzes – and the monarch's court campaigned for a museum under the king's authority, contrary to the desires of Obaseki.

Strategic Positioning

This left Mowaa in a difficult situation: expressing a definite position on repatriation while being careful on guardianship – and stressing its broader vision, which led to|c