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Nigeria's stunning new West African Art Museum (Mowaa) has landed in the crosshairs of regional political struggles during the week it was scheduled to – but was unable – to open its doors to the public for the initial occasion.

The Ambitious Project

The 15-acre complex is located in the center of Benin City, capital of the southern region of Edo – and includes an historical dig and structures planned by high-profile Ghanaian-British architect Sir David Adjaye, particularly noted for the National Museum of African American History and Culture that was inaugurated in Washington DC in 2016.

It has been half a decade in the making – and is designed to honor both the past and the present of artistic expression in the area renowned for the Benin Bronzes, historical pieces looted from the king's palace by British soldiers in the 19th Century.

Setup and Prospects

It is impressive – and prior to the anticipated opening, Mowaa was active with employees resolved to show it is a venue that can compete with well-known cultural centers in the West.

Internally preservation experts precisely unwrapped art pieces from secure wrapping, checking each artifact and taking thorough documentation before positioning them on walls and bases.

Experts adjusted environmental controls. In the research lab, personnel calibrated equipment meant to maintain historical artefacts.

Funding and Economic Goals

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

"I hope us to have a significant economic impact on local residents in the vicinity," he stated to media outlets, noting that he wanted to make the city "a tourism center."

Mowaa, a not-for-profit national foundation, sees itself generating over 30,000 direct and indirect jobs and providing over $80m each year to the area arts sector through alliances and activities.

Funding Sources and Political Challenges

It has taken $25m to achieve this stage – funds raised from different contributors, including the international partners, the British Museum and the Edo state government.

But now the local government has pulled the rug from below it – canceling the occupancy of the property on which the building was erected.

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

Protests and Political Intervention

This announcement came after rallies on Sunday, when people stormed the campus insisting it be named the Museum of the Benin Kingdom.

A rowdy crowd insulted international visitors at the venue before the opening – forcing them to be hurried away under police escort.

Head of state Bola Tinubu has even become involved to attempt to settle the tensions, creating a special task force to do some damage control.

Political Complexities

But in what way has this evolved into so politicised – and such a PR disaster?

A great deal of it stems from internecine rivalries at a regional government level, as it was the former state leader Godwin Obaseki – whose term in office concluded recently – who was a key supporter of the museum.

And it seems the leadership of the new governor, a strong supporter of the local traditional ruler, referred to as the royal figure, may desire increased control in the project. The activists on that day, for example, were demanding that the museum be positioned under the control of the royal leader.

The Benin Bronzes Controversy

This emphasizes the controversial matter of the cultural artifacts, one of Africa's most famous historical legacy.

Because although the institution does eventually begin operations, these bronzes will be clearly not present.

They are brass, ivory and timber artworks that once embellished the monarch's home of the ancient kingdom before British soldiers took them in 1897 during a punitive expedition.

Nowadays, many stay scattered across museums in Europe and North America -- such as the London museum, European center and the New York institution.

Repatriation Campaigns

Their return has become one of the most disputed conversations in the global art world. Roughly 150 have currently made their way home – and further are expected to return.

When ideas for the facility in the city were originally proposed in the pre-pandemic era, the key players on Nigeria's art scene anticipated it would become their ideal location – a advanced complex to display them to the global audience.

But the issues became confused two years ago after the federal government declared that the royal leader would be the proper guardian of any returned bronzes – and the palace pushed for a museum under the king's authority, opposing the preferences of the ex-leader.

Diplomatic Challenges

This left Mowaa in a delicate position: asserting a definite position on restitution while remaining diplomatic on custodianship – and emphasising its broader vision, which led to|c