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

The Ambitious Project

The large-scale complex stands in the core of the Edo state capital, capital of the southern region of Edo – and includes an archaeological dig and structures planned by celebrated British-Ghanaian architect Sir David Adjaye, most famous for the National Museum of African American History and Culture that was inaugurated in Washington in 2016.

It has been 60 months in the making – and is planned to celebrate both the heritage and the present of cultural innovation in the area known for the cultural artifacts, artworks stolen from the royal palace by British soldiers in the 19th Century.

Setup and Prospects

It is impressive – and before the anticipated opening, Mowaa was active with employees resolved to show it is a venue that can compete with well-known museums and galleries in the West.

Internally preservation experts meticulously opened art pieces from secure wrapping, checking each piece and taking thorough records before positioning them on walls and stands.

Technicians adjusted climate control systems. In the research lab, officers adjusted instruments designed to conserve centuries-old objects.

Investment and Economic Plans

The initiative has been the brainchild of investor Phillip Ihenacho – presently Mowaa's executive director.

"I aim us to have a major economic benefit on local residents in this region," he told journalists, noting that he hoped to make Benin City "an arts hub."

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

Investment and Administrative Problems

It has required $25m to reach this point – money gathered from multiple contributors, including the French and German governments, the UK museum and the regional authorities.

But currently the regional administration has revoked permission from below it – terminating the use of the land on which the museum was built.

An official representative stated this was because in the initial documents it had identified as Edo Museum of West African Art – and it had since dropped "the regional name" from its title.

Protests and Political Intervention

This declaration followed protests on Sunday, when activists stormed the facility demanding it be named the Benin Royal Museum.

A disruptive group insulted overseas dignitaries at the museum before the opening – compelling them to be hurried away under security protection.

Head of state Bola Tinubu has also become involved to attempt to settle the dispute, creating a high-level committee to do some damage control.

Governance Issues

But in what way has this become so controversial – and such a PR disaster?

Much of it stems from local power struggles at a local state level, as it was Edo's previous governor Godwin Obaseki – whose term in office finished recently – who was a primary advocate of the initiative.

And it appears the government of the current leader, a strong supporter of the area king, called the royal figure, may want greater involvement in the initiative. The demonstrators on Sunday, for example, were demanding that the facility be put under the supervision of the royal leader.

The Benin Bronzes Controversy

This highlights the disputed topic of the Benin Bronzes, one of Africa's most renowned historical legacy.

Because although the institution does eventually open, these objects will be conspicuously absent.

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

Today, many continue to be scattered across institutions in the West -- including the UK institution, Berlin's Humboldt Forum and the New York institution.

Return Initiatives

Their repatriation has become one of the most disputed discussions in the worldwide cultural sector. Approximately 150 have now made their way home – and additional are expected to return.

When proposals for the institution in the urban center were originally proposed in 2019, the key players on Nigeria's art scene anticipated it would become their ideal location – a state-of-the-art facility to show them off to the global audience.

But the issues became confused recently after the federal government declared that the Oba would be the rightful owner of repatriated artifacts – and the palace campaigned for a facility under the royal family's direct control, contrary to the desires of the former governor.

Diplomatic Challenges

This placed Mowaa in a delicate position: asserting a clear stance on restitution while staying tactful on ownership – and emphasising its broader vision, which led to|c