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Nigeria's remarkable new Art Museum of West Africa (Mowaa) has found itself in the crosshairs of area political conflicts during the period it was scheduled to – but was unable – to open its doors to the general public for the very first time.

The Ambitious Project

The six-hectare complex sits in the center of Benin City, main city of the southern region of Edo – and contains an excavation site and buildings created by high-profile British-Ghanaian architect Sir David Adjaye, best known for the National Museum of African American History and Culture that was inaugurated in Washington DC in 2016.

It has been 60 months in the development – and is designed to celebrate both the history and the current era of artistic expression in the region known for the Benin Bronzes, artworks stolen from the city's royal palace by British troops in the 19th Century.

Readiness and Potential

It is remarkable – and before the scheduled opening, Mowaa was active with staff determined to show it is a venue that can compete with well-known art institutions in the Western world.

Within conservators carefully revealed art pieces from secure wrapping, examining each item and taking thorough notes before placing them on display surfaces and plinths.

Technicians adjusted environmental controls. In the scientific facility, personnel adjusted instruments meant to conserve centuries-old items.

Financial Backing and Economic Vision

The project has been the concept of investor Phillip Ihenacho – presently Mowaa's chief executive.

"I hope us to have a substantial economic impact on area populations in the vicinity," he stated to media outlets, noting that he wanted to make this urban center "a tourism center."

Mowaa, a not-for-profit Nigerian institution, sees itself generating over 30,000 work positions and contributing over $80m annually to the local cultural industry through partnerships and events.

Financial Support and Government Issues

It has taken $25m to get here – funds raised from various contributors, featuring the French and German governments, the London institution and the regional authorities.

But now the regional administration has revoked permission from beneath it – revoking the occupancy of the site on which the building was erected.

An government communicator clarified this was because in the early agreements it had called itself EMOWAA – and it had since dropped "the state identifier" from its designation.

Unrest and Official Response

This declaration came after demonstrations on the weekend, when protesters stormed the campus calling for it be designated the Museum of the Benin Kingdom.

A rowdy crowd insulted international visitors at the museum ahead of the opening – forcing them to be quickly removed under official guard.

National leader Bola Tinubu has additionally intervened to try and resolve the tensions, setting up a presidential committee to address the controversy.

Political Complexities

But why has this turned into so controversial – and such a PR disaster?

Much of it results from local power struggles at a area administrative level, as it was Edo's previous governor Godwin Obaseki – whose governance concluded recently – who was a primary advocate of the museum.

And it looks like the administration of the current leader, a strong supporter of the area king, referred to as the traditional leader, may want more of a stake in the project. The demonstrators on the weekend, for example, were insisting that the institution be positioned under the authority of the current Oba.

The Benin Bronzes Controversy

This brings into focus the contentious issue of the Benin Bronzes, one of Africa's most celebrated artistic heritage.

Because though the museum does ultimately begin operations, these artifacts will be noticeably missing.

They are metal, elephant tusk and wooden carvings that once decorated the royal palace of the ancient kingdom before colonial troops looted them in the late nineteenth century during a colonial invasion.

Currently, many remain spread across institutions in Europe and North America -- including the UK institution, Berlin's Humboldt Forum and the New York institution.

Repatriation Campaigns

Their repatriation has become one of the most contested debates in the international art community. Roughly 150 have presently made their way home – and additional are scheduled to be repatriated.

When proposals for the museum in the urban center were originally proposed in 2019, the key players on the national arts community hoped it would become their natural home – a modern facility to show them off to the international community.

But the situation became complicated some time back after the federal government announced that the Oba would be the proper guardian of repatriated artifacts – and the royal household campaigned for a facility under the king's authority, opposing the wishes of the former governor.

Strategic Positioning

This left Mowaa in a delicate position: maintaining a clear stance on restitution while being careful on custodianship – and highlighting its wider mission, which led to|c