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The nation's impressive new Art Museum of West Africa (Mowaa) has found itself in the crosshairs of local power politics during the week it was expected to – but was unable – to begin operations to the public for the first time.

The Grand Vision

The large-scale campus is located in the heart of Benin City, capital of the southern area of Edo – and contains an excavation site and structures designed by celebrated British-Ghanaian architect Sir David Adjaye, particularly noted for the Washington African American Museum that was inaugurated in the US capital in 2016.

It has been half a decade in the development – and is planned to celebrate both the past and the present of cultural innovation in the region known for the cultural artifacts, artworks taken from the city's royal palace by British troops in the 19th Century.

Readiness and Potential

It is impressive – and before the anticipated opening, Mowaa was energetic with employees determined to show it is a place that can compete with well-known art institutions in the Europe and America.

Inside preservation experts carefully opened cultural items from protective packaging, inspecting each piece and taking meticulous documentation before arranging them on walls and stands.

Technicians fine-tuned environmental controls. In the materials science laboratory, staff members set up devices intended to preserve centuries-old objects.

Investment and Economic Plans

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

"I want us to have a significant economic impact on communities in this region," he told media outlets, adding that he wanted to make the city "a cultural destination."

Mowaa, a non-profit Nigerian institution, sees itself establishing over 30,000 work positions and adding above $80m annually to the local cultural industry through collaborations and activities.

Financial Support and Government Issues

It has needed $25m to reach this point – money collected from different donors, such as the international partners, the British Museum and the regional authorities.

But at present the regional administration has revoked permission from beneath it – terminating the utilization of the site on which the building was erected.

An government communicator explained this was because in the initial documents it had called itself EMOWAA – and it had since dropped "Edo" from its designation.

Unrest and Official Response

This declaration was preceded by protests on the weekend, when protesters stormed the complex calling for it be called the Benin Royal Museum.

A boisterous assembly insulted international visitors at the venue before the opening – compelling them to be hurried away under official guard.

National leader Bola Tinubu has also stepped in to attempt to settle the dispute, establishing a high-level committee to address the controversy.

Political Complexities

But in what way has this turned into so divisive – and such a public relations crisis?

The majority of it comes down to local power struggles at a local state level, as it was the former state leader Godwin Obaseki – whose term in office finished last year – who was a major backer of the project.

And it looks like the administration of the current leader, a strong supporter of the regional monarch, called the traditional leader, may seek more of a stake in the project. The protesters on Sunday, for case, were demanding that the institution be put under the control of the current Oba.

The Benin Bronzes Controversy

This brings into focus the contentious issue of the cultural artifacts, one of the continent's most famous artistic heritage.

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

They are metal, ivory and wooden sculptures that once adorned the monarch's home of the Benin Kingdom before British soldiers took them in the colonial era during a punitive expedition.

Today, many stay distributed across museums in Western nations -- including the London museum, European center and the New York institution.

Restitution Efforts

Their repatriation has become one of the most debated conversations in the international art community. Approximately 150 have now come back – and further are due to follow.

When plans for the museum in the city were first announced in 2019, the movers and shakers on the national arts community anticipated it would become their natural home – a modern campus to show them off to the international community.

But the situation became complicated recently after the federal government announced that the traditional ruler would be the legal custodian of repatriated artifacts – and the monarch's court campaigned for a facility under the king's authority, opposing the preferences of the ex-leader.

Strategic Positioning

This left Mowaa in a challenging circumstance: asserting a definite position on return while being careful on guardianship – and highlighting its larger purpose, which led to|c