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Nigeria's stunning new Museum of West African Art (Mowaa) has ended up in the center of regional political struggles during the period it was expected to – but failed – to welcome visitors to the public for the first time.

The Ambitious Project

The six-hectare campus stands in the center of the Edo state capital, capital of the southern state of Edo – and includes an excavation site and facilities designed by renowned dual heritage architect Sir David Adjaye, most famous for the Smithsonian African American Museum that was inaugurated in Washington DC in 2016.

It has been five years in the development – and is designed to showcase both the history and the current era of cultural innovation in the region known for the cultural artifacts, artworks taken from the royal palace by UK forces in the nineteenth century.

Readiness and Potential

It is impressive – and prior to the anticipated opening, Mowaa was buzzing with workers committed to prove it is a venue that can match established art institutions in the Europe and America.

Internally preservation experts meticulously unwrapped art pieces from secure wrapping, examining each piece and taking meticulous notes before positioning them on display surfaces and plinths.

Technicians fine-tuned temperature regulation systems. In the research lab, personnel adjusted instruments designed to conserve ancient artefacts.

Financial Backing and Economic Vision

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

"I hope us to have a substantial economic impact on area populations around here," he stated to the press, adding that he hoped to make Benin City "a tourism center."

Mowaa, a not-for-profit national foundation, envisions itself creating in excess of 30,000 employment opportunities and contributing more than $80m each year to the local cultural industry through partnerships and activities.

Investment and Administrative Problems

It has required $25m to achieve this stage – funds gathered from various donors, such as the international partners, the UK museum and the local administration.

But currently the local government has withdrawn support from below it – canceling the utilization of the property on which the museum was built.

An government communicator clarified this was because in the initial documents it had identified as Edo Museum of West African Art – and it had since dropped "the state identifier" from its designation.

Protests and Political Intervention

This statement followed protests on Sunday, when activists entered the facility calling for it be designated the Benin Royal Museum.

A rowdy assembly insulted international visitors at the venue ahead of the opening – compelling them to be escorted out under official guard.

President Bola Tinubu has even stepped in to work to address the dispute, establishing a presidential committee to do some damage control.

Administrative Challenges

But why has this become so politicised – and such a reputation problem?

A great deal of it comes down to local power struggles at a area administrative level, as it was Edo's previous governor Godwin Obaseki – whose term in office ended last year – who was a primary advocate of the museum.

And it seems the government of the current leader, a close ally of the area king, referred to as the traditional leader, may seek more of a stake in the initiative. The protesters on that day, for example, were demanding that the institution be put under the authority of the current Oba.

The Benin Bronzes Controversy

This emphasizes the disputed topic of the Benin Bronzes, one of Africa's most celebrated cultural treasures.

Because though the facility does finally open, these bronzes will be noticeably missing.

They are brass, elephant tusk and timber sculptures that once adorned the monarch's home of the Benin Kingdom before colonial troops looted them in 1897 during a colonial invasion.

Currently, thousands continue to be spread across institutions in Europe and North America -- such as the London museum, Berlin's Humboldt Forum and the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Restitution Efforts

Their homecoming has become one of the most disputed discussions in the international art community. About 150 have presently made their way home – and additional are due to follow.

When proposals for the facility in the urban center were first announced in recent years, the key players on Nigeria's art scene anticipated it would become their natural home – a advanced facility to show them off to the international community.

But the issues became confused two years ago after the central administration stated that the Oba would be the proper guardian of repatriated artifacts – and the monarch's court pushed for a facility under the royal family's direct control, against the wishes of Obaseki.

Diplomatic Challenges

This left Mowaa in a delicate position: asserting a specific viewpoint on return while remaining diplomatic on ownership – and emphasising its wider mission, which led to|c