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Nigeria's impressive new Museum of West African Art (Mowaa) has ended up in the center of local power politics during the time it was expected to – but did not manage – to welcome visitors to the visitors for the initial occasion.

The Ambitious Project

The large-scale campus is located in the heart of Benin City, main city of the southern area of Edo – and includes an excavation site and buildings planned by renowned Ghanaian-British architect Sir David Adjaye, particularly noted for the National Museum of African American History and Culture that opened in the US capital in 2016.

It has been five years in the making – and is envisioned to celebrate both the history and the current era of creativity in the area known for the cultural artifacts, cultural objects taken from the royal palace by UK forces in the 1800s.

Setup and Prospects

It is remarkable – and ahead of the planned opening, Mowaa was energetic with staff determined to show it is a place that can match renowned cultural centers in the West.

Inside art restorers precisely revealed art pieces from protective packaging, checking each artifact and taking thorough records before placing them on exhibition areas and plinths.

Technicians adjusted temperature regulation systems. In the scientific facility, personnel adjusted instruments designed to maintain historical objects.

Investment and Economic Plans

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

"I aim us to have a significant economic impact on area populations around here," he told journalists, adding that he hoped to make this urban center "a cultural destination."

Mowaa, a charitable national foundation, aims at creating in excess of 30,000 work positions and providing above $80m annually to the regional creative economy through partnerships and activities.

Investment and Administrative Problems

It has taken $25m to reach this point – capital raised from different supporters, including the international partners, the UK museum and the Edo state government.

But at present the local government has withdrawn support from below it – canceling the occupancy of the property on which the building was erected.

An Edo state spokesperson stated this was because in the original paperwork it had referred to itself as Edo Museum of West African Art – and it had later removed "the regional name" from its designation.

Unrest and Official Response

This declaration followed rallies on recently, when activists entered the campus calling for it be called the Benin Royal Museum.

A disruptive crowd confronted foreign guests at the facility before the opening – compelling them to be hurried away under security protection.

Head of state Bola Tinubu has also stepped in to try and resolve the dispute, establishing a special task force to address the controversy.

Political Complexities

But in what way has this become so divisive – and such a reputation problem?

Much of it comes down to internal conflicts at a area administrative level, as it was the ex-administrator Godwin Obaseki – whose term in office finished last year – who was a key supporter of the project.

And it seems the government of the new governor, a key associate of the area king, called the Oba, may seek greater involvement in the venture. The activists on that day, for instance, were demanding that the institution be placed under the control of the current Oba.

The Cultural Artifacts Debate

This brings into focus the disputed topic of the cultural artifacts, one of the region's most celebrated artistic heritage.

Because though the museum does finally open, these artifacts will be noticeably missing.

They are brass, elephant tusk and wooden sculptures that once decorated the king's residence of the Benin Kingdom before British soldiers looted them in the colonial era during a punitive expedition.

Today, many stay scattered across institutions in the West -- including the British Museum, German museum and the American museum.

Return Initiatives

Their homecoming has become one of the most contested conversations in the global art world. Approximately 150 have presently been returned – and additional are due to follow.

When plans for the museum in the urban center were first announced in the pre-pandemic era, the movers and shakers on Nigeria's art scene hoped it would become their ideal location – a modern facility to show them off to the global audience.

But the issues became confused recently after the national authorities announced that the royal leader would be the proper guardian of repatriated artifacts – and the palace pushed for a museum under the king's authority, against the desires of Obaseki.

Diplomatic Challenges

This placed Mowaa in a challenging circumstance: asserting a clear stance on return while being careful on custodianship – and highlighting its wider mission, which led to|c