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The nation's impressive new West African Art Museum (Mowaa) has ended up in the crosshairs of local power politics during the period it was scheduled to – but was unable – to welcome visitors to the public for the very first time.

The Major Initiative

The six-hectare campus stands in the core of Benin's urban center, capital of the southern state of Edo – and contains an archaeological dig and facilities designed by celebrated British-Ghanaian architect Sir David Adjaye, best known for the Smithsonian African American Museum that opened in Washington in 2016.

It has been five years in the development – and is planned to celebrate both the history and the current era of artistic expression in the locale famous for the cultural artifacts, historical pieces looted from the royal palace by UK forces in the 19th Century.

Setup and Prospects

It is notable – and prior to the scheduled opening, Mowaa was energetic with staff committed to demonstrate it is a place that can rival renowned art institutions in the Europe and America.

Within conservators carefully opened cultural items from safety materials, examining each artifact and taking meticulous documentation before positioning them on walls and bases.

Technicians calibrated environmental controls. In the scientific facility, personnel calibrated devices designed to maintain centuries-old artefacts.

Financial Backing and Economic Vision

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

"I hope us to have a significant economic impact on area populations in the vicinity," he explained to media outlets, mentioning that he hoped to make this urban center "a tourism center."

Mowaa, a charitable local organization, aims at creating over 30,000 employment opportunities and contributing above $80m each year to the regional creative economy through alliances and programming.

Financial Support and Government Issues

It has taken $25m to reach this point – money gathered from different contributors, featuring the European governments, the British Museum and the regional authorities.

But now the regional administration has revoked permission from below it – revoking the use of the site on which the building was erected.

An government communicator explained this was because in the original paperwork it had referred to itself as the Edo-named institution – and it had subsequently dropped "the regional name" from its title.

Unrest and Official Response

This statement followed protests on Sunday, when people stormed the facility insisting it be called the Royal Benin Museum.

A boisterous assembly insulted international visitors at the facility ahead of the inauguration – forcing them to be hurried away under police escort.

Head of state Bola Tinubu has additionally intervened to work to address the conflict, creating a special task force to do some damage control.

Governance Issues

But why has this evolved into so divisive – and such a reputation problem?

Much of it results from local power struggles at a local state level, as it was the ex-administrator Godwin Obaseki – whose term in office concluded last year – who was a primary advocate of the initiative.

And it looks like the administration of the current leader, a key associate of the regional monarch, referred to as the royal figure, may want more of a stake in the project. The demonstrators on Sunday, for example, were insisting that the museum be put under the control of Oba Ewuare II.

The Cultural Artifacts Debate

This brings into focus the controversial matter of the historical artworks, one of Africa's most renowned artistic heritage.

Because though the museum does eventually open, these artifacts will be noticeably missing.

They are brass, elephant tusk and timber carvings that once decorated the monarch's home of the ancient kingdom before colonial troops looted them in the colonial era during a military operation.

Currently, many remain spread across museums in Europe and North America -- including the London museum, Berlin's Humboldt Forum and the American museum.

Repatriation Campaigns

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

When proposals for the museum in the city were initially revealed in 2019, the movers and shakers on Nigeria's art scene anticipated it would become their natural home – a state-of-the-art facility to show them off to the international community.

But the issues became confused some time back after the central administration declared that the Oba would be the legal custodian of repatriated artifacts – and the palace pushed for a facility under the royal family's direct control, opposing the preferences of Obaseki.

Strategic Positioning

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