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The nation's impressive new West African Art Museum (Mowaa) has ended up in the middle of area political conflicts during the time it was supposed to – but failed – to open its doors to the public for the first time.

The Major Initiative

The six-hectare complex sits in the heart of Benin City, main city of the southern area of Edo – and features an excavation site and buildings created by renowned Ghanaian-British architect Sir David Adjaye, best known for the Washington African American Museum that was inaugurated in Washington DC in 2016.

It has been half a decade in the development – and is designed to showcase both the past and the current era of artistic expression in the area famous for the historic artworks, artworks stolen from the king's palace by UK forces in the 1800s.

Setup and Prospects

It is impressive – and ahead of the planned opening, Mowaa was energetic with staff committed to prove it is a place that can rival well-known cultural centers in the Western world.

Within conservators meticulously unwrapped art pieces from protective packaging, checking each item and taking detailed documentation before arranging them on exhibition areas and bases.

Specialists fine-tuned climate control systems. In the materials science laboratory, staff members calibrated equipment intended to preserve centuries-old items.

Investment and Economic Plans

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

"I want us to have a significant economic benefit on area populations in the vicinity," he stated to journalists, adding that he hoped to make this urban center "a tourism center."

Mowaa, a not-for-profit Nigerian institution, sees itself generating over 30,000 employment opportunities and contributing over $80m per year to the area arts sector through alliances and programming.

Investment and Administrative Problems

It has required $25m to get here – funds raised from multiple donors, including the European governments, the London institution and the regional authorities.

But currently the local government has withdrawn support from beneath it – terminating the occupancy of the land on which the facility was constructed.

An government communicator stated this was because in the original paperwork it had called itself EMOWAA – and it had later removed "the regional name" from its designation.

Unrest and Official Response

This announcement followed protests on Sunday, when activists invaded the complex calling for it be called the Royal Benin Museum.

A boisterous assembly confronted overseas dignitaries at the museum ahead of the launch – requiring them to be escorted out under police escort.

National leader Bola Tinubu has also become involved to try and resolve the tensions, establishing a presidential committee to address the controversy.

Political Complexities

But in what way has this evolved into so politicised – and such a PR disaster?

Much of it comes down to internecine rivalries at a local state level, as it was the former state leader Godwin Obaseki – whose term in office concluded the previous year – who was a major backer of the initiative.

And it looks like the administration of the current leader, a key associate of the regional monarch, called the traditional leader, may desire greater involvement in the project. The demonstrators on that day, for instance, were demanding that the facility be placed under the supervision of the royal leader.

The Benin Bronzes Controversy

This brings into focus the disputed topic of the Benin Bronzes, one of the region's most famous historical legacy.

Because even if the facility does eventually welcome visitors, these objects will be clearly not present.

They are brass, elephant tusk and wooden artworks that once adorned the king's residence of the Benin Kingdom before UK forces stole them in 1897 during a punitive expedition.

Nowadays, thousands continue to be scattered across institutions in Western nations -- including the UK institution, German museum and the American museum.

Restitution Efforts

Their repatriation has become one of the most debated debates in the international art community. Roughly 150 have presently made their way home – and further are expected to return.

When proposals for the museum in the urban center were originally proposed in the pre-pandemic era, the influential figures on the national arts community anticipated it would become their natural home – a state-of-the-art campus to exhibit them to the global audience.

But the situation became complicated some time back after the federal government stated that the royal leader would be the proper guardian of any returned bronzes – and the royal household advocated for a institution under the royal family's direct control, against the desires of the ex-leader.

Diplomatic Challenges

This placed Mowaa in a delicate position: expressing a specific viewpoint on return while being careful on ownership – and stressing its larger purpose, which led to|c