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The nation's stunning new Art Museum of West Africa (Mowaa) has landed in the middle of regional political struggles during the time it was supposed to – but failed – to begin operations to the public for the very first time.

The Grand Vision

The large-scale campus sits in the core of Benin's urban center, capital of the southern region of Edo – and features an excavation site and structures created by high-profile Ghanaian-British architect Sir David Adjaye, most famous for the Smithsonian African American Museum that began operations in Washington in 2016.

It has been 60 months in the development – and is envisioned to celebrate both the past and the current era of cultural innovation in the area known for the historic artworks, historical pieces looted from the royal palace by British soldiers in the 19th Century.

Preparation and Promise

It is remarkable – and prior to the scheduled opening, Mowaa was active with staff determined to demonstrate it is a venue that can rival established cultural centers in the West.

Internally art restorers carefully unwrapped artworks from protective packaging, checking each artifact and taking thorough documentation before arranging them on exhibition areas and plinths.

Specialists fine-tuned temperature regulation systems. In the research lab, officers calibrated equipment intended to preserve ancient artefacts.

Financial Backing and Economic Vision

The venture has been the idea of entrepreneur Phillip Ihenacho – now Mowaa's chief executive.

"I want us to have a major economic benefit on local residents around here," he explained to the press, noting that he wanted to make Benin City "a tourism center."

Mowaa, a not-for-profit Nigerian institution, aims at creating over 30,000 direct and indirect jobs and contributing more than $80m each year to the area arts sector through collaborations and programming.

Funding Sources and Political Challenges

It has required $25m to achieve this stage – funds raised from different donors, including the French and German governments, the British Museum and the Edo state government.

But at present the state authorities has pulled the rug from under it – canceling the utilization of the property on which the museum was built.

An official representative stated this was because in the early agreements it had identified as EMOWAA – and it had later dropped "the state identifier" from its designation.

Unrest and Official Response

This statement was preceded by rallies on recently, when protesters invaded the complex insisting it be designated the Museum of the Benin Kingdom.

A boisterous assembly insulted international visitors at the facility before the opening – compelling them to be escorted out under official guard.

President Bola Tinubu has also stepped in to attempt to settle the dispute, setting up a high-level committee to do some damage control.

Political Complexities

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

A great deal of it comes down to internal conflicts at a local state level, as it was the ex-administrator Godwin Obaseki – whose term in office finished the previous year – who was a key supporter of the project.

And it looks like the administration of the current leader, a key associate of the regional monarch, called the royal figure, may desire greater involvement in the venture. The demonstrators on that day, for instance, were demanding that the institution be put under the authority of the royal leader.

The Cultural Artifacts Debate

This brings into focus the contentious issue of the historical artworks, one of the continent's most renowned cultural treasures.

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

They are brass, ivory and timber artworks that once adorned the royal palace of the historical empire before British soldiers looted them in 1897 during a military operation.

Today, thousands stay distributed across galleries in Europe and North America -- such as the British Museum, Berlin's Humboldt Forum and the American museum.

Restitution Efforts

Their homecoming has become one of the most debated conversations in the international art community. Approximately 150 have now made their way home – and further are expected to return.

When ideas for the facility in the city were first announced in 2019, the movers and shakers on the national arts community expected it would become their ideal location – a state-of-the-art facility to exhibit them to the international community.

But the situation became complicated recently after the national authorities announced that the royal leader would be the rightful owner of any returned bronzes – and the royal household pushed for a institution under the monarch's supervision, contrary to the preferences of Obaseki.

Diplomatic Challenges

This placed Mowaa in a delicate position: expressing a definite position on return while staying tactful on custodianship – and highlighting its wider mission, which led to|c