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Nigeria's stunning new West African Art Museum (Mowaa) has landed in the middle of local power politics during the week it was expected to – but failed – to begin operations to the visitors for the initial occasion.

The Grand Vision

The 15-acre facility stands in the core of Benin City, main city of the southern state of Edo – and contains an historical dig and buildings created by renowned Ghanaian-British architect Sir David Adjaye, most famous for the National Museum of African American History and Culture that began operations in Washington DC in 2016.

It has been five years in the making – and is planned to showcase both the history and the current era of artistic expression in the area renowned for the Benin Bronzes, historical pieces stolen from the king's palace by British troops in the nineteenth century.

Readiness and Potential

It is impressive – and ahead of the scheduled opening, Mowaa was energetic with staff determined to prove it is a place that can rival established cultural centers in the Western world.

Inside conservators meticulously revealed art pieces from secure wrapping, examining each artifact and taking meticulous documentation before positioning them on display surfaces and stands.

Experts fine-tuned temperature regulation systems. In the research lab, staff members calibrated instruments intended to preserve historical items.

Funding and Economic Goals

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

"I want us to have a substantial economic impact on area populations in this region," he told the press, mentioning that he hoped to make Benin City "a cultural destination."

Mowaa, a charitable local organization, aims at generating more than 30,000 employment opportunities and adding more than $80m each year to the local cultural industry through collaborations and programming.

Investment and Administrative Problems

It has needed $25m to achieve this stage – capital collected from various contributors, such as the French and German governments, the British Museum and the local administration.

But at present the regional administration has revoked permission from beneath it – revoking the occupancy of the site on which the facility was constructed.

An Edo state spokesperson explained this was because in the initial documents it had referred to itself as the Edo-named institution – and it had subsequently removed "Edo" from its designation.

Protests and Political Intervention

This statement was preceded by demonstrations on recently, when people entered the campus demanding it be named the Royal Benin Museum.

A rowdy group harassed foreign guests at the museum ahead of the opening – forcing them to be hurried away under police escort.

President Bola Tinubu has also stepped in to attempt to settle the tensions, creating a special task force to address the controversy.

Governance Issues

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

Much of it stems from internal conflicts at a local state level, as it was Edo's previous governor Godwin Obaseki – whose term in office ended the previous year – who was a key supporter of the project.

And it seems the administration of the new governor, a close ally of the regional monarch, called the Oba, may seek more of a stake in the venture. The demonstrators on the weekend, for example, were demanding that the institution be positioned under the authority of the current Oba.

The Cultural Artifacts Debate

This emphasizes the controversial matter of the Benin Bronzes, one of the continent's most celebrated cultural treasures.

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

They are metal, elephant tusk and timber sculptures that once embellished the king's residence of the historical empire before British soldiers stole them in the late nineteenth century during a military operation.

Today, numerous remain spread across galleries in the West -- such as the London museum, German museum and the New York institution.

Restitution Efforts

Their return has become one of the most debated debates in the international art community. Approximately 150 have currently been returned – and further are scheduled to be repatriated.

When ideas for the facility in Benin City were initially revealed in recent years, the influential figures on Nigeria's art scene expected it would become their natural home – a advanced facility to show them off to the world.

But the waters were muddied two years ago after the central administration declared that the royal leader would be the rightful owner of returned objects – and the palace advocated for a museum under the king's authority, against the wishes of Obaseki.

Political Navigation

This placed Mowaa in a challenging circumstance: expressing a specific viewpoint on return while remaining diplomatic on custodianship – and emphasising its broader vision, which led to|c