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Nigeria's impressive new Museum of West African Art (Mowaa) has landed in the middle of regional political struggles during the period it was supposed to – but did not manage – to open its doors to the public for the very first time.

The Grand Vision

The six-hectare campus stands in the core of Benin's urban center, administrative center of the southern region of Edo – and includes an historical dig and structures planned by celebrated dual heritage architect Sir David Adjaye, best known for the Washington African American Museum that was inaugurated in the US capital in 2016.

It has been half a decade in the making – and is envisioned to honor both the heritage and the modern times of artistic expression in the locale famous for the Benin Bronzes, artworks taken from the city's royal palace by UK forces in the 19th Century.

Readiness and Potential

It is notable – and before the scheduled opening, Mowaa was active with workers determined to prove it is a place that can match established art institutions in the West.

Internally preservation experts precisely unwrapped artworks from safety materials, examining each artifact and taking meticulous records before placing them on exhibition areas and plinths.

Specialists adjusted climate control systems. In the research lab, personnel adjusted devices designed to conserve centuries-old items.

Financial Backing and Economic Vision

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

"I aim us to have a significant economic benefit on communities in this region," he told media outlets, noting that he aspired to make this urban center "a tourism center."

Mowaa, a non-profit local organization, envisions itself establishing over 30,000 direct and indirect jobs and adding more than $80m per year to the regional creative economy through alliances and programming.

Financial Support and Government Issues

It has taken $25m to reach this point – capital gathered from multiple donors, featuring the European governments, the British Museum and the Edo state government.

But at present the local government has revoked permission from beneath it – revoking the occupancy of the site on which the museum was built.

An government communicator clarified this was because in the early agreements it had referred to itself as EMOWAA – and it had since removed "Edo" from its title.

Protests and Political Intervention

This announcement was preceded by protests on recently, when people stormed the facility insisting it be designated the Benin Royal Museum.

A disruptive crowd insulted international visitors at the museum before the launch – forcing them to be hurried away under official guard.

National leader Bola Tinubu has also intervened to work to address the conflict, creating a presidential committee to manage the situation.

Administrative Challenges

But why has this become so politicised – and such a PR disaster?

A great deal of it stems from internecine rivalries at a regional government level, as it was Edo's previous governor Godwin Obaseki – whose administration finished last year – who was a key supporter of the initiative.

And it appears the government of the recently elected official, a strong supporter of the regional monarch, referred to as the royal figure, may desire increased control in the project. The protesters on that day, for instance, were calling for that the museum be put under the supervision of the current Oba.

The Benin Bronzes Controversy

This brings into focus the controversial matter of the cultural artifacts, one of the continent's most renowned historical legacy.

Because though the museum does eventually open, these bronzes will be clearly not present.

They are metal, ivory and wooden artworks that once adorned the king's residence of the ancient kingdom before colonial troops looted them in 1897 during a military operation.

Currently, many stay spread across galleries in the West -- featuring the UK institution, European center and the American museum.

Return Initiatives

Their return has become one of the most contested discussions in the global art world. About 150 have currently made their way home – and additional are scheduled to be repatriated.

When plans for the museum in the urban center were originally proposed in 2019, the movers and shakers on the country's cultural sector anticipated it would become their perfect venue – a modern campus to display them to the world.

But the waters were muddied some time back after the central administration announced that the traditional ruler would be the legal custodian of returned objects – and the palace advocated for a museum under the monarch's supervision, contrary to the preferences of the former governor.

Political Navigation

This left Mowaa in a challenging circumstance: expressing a specific viewpoint on repatriation while staying tactful on guardianship – and emphasising its larger purpose, which led to|c