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Nigeria's stunning new Museum of West African Art (Mowaa) has landed in the crosshairs of local power politics during the week it was scheduled to – but did not manage – to welcome visitors to the public for the very first time.

The Ambitious Project

The six-hectare complex is located in the core of Benin City, main city of the southern region of Edo – and contains an archaeological dig and buildings created by high-profile British-Ghanaian architect Sir David Adjaye, best known for the Smithsonian African American Museum that opened in Washington DC in 2016.

It has been half a decade in the making – and is envisioned to showcase both the past and the current era of cultural innovation in the area known for the Benin Bronzes, artworks stolen from the king's palace by British troops in the 1800s.

Setup and Prospects

It is notable – and prior to the planned opening, Mowaa was buzzing with staff committed to show it is a place that can match renowned art institutions in the Western world.

Inside conservators carefully opened artworks from protective packaging, inspecting each piece and taking thorough notes before placing them on walls and stands.

Experts calibrated temperature regulation systems. In the scientific facility, personnel calibrated devices meant to conserve centuries-old items.

Investment and Economic Plans

The initiative has been the idea of investor Phillip Ihenacho – presently Mowaa's managing director.

"I want us to have a substantial financial effect on area populations around here," he explained to the press, mentioning that he wanted to make Benin City "an arts hub."

Mowaa, a non-profit local organization, sees itself generating more than 30,000 work positions and contributing more than $80m annually to the regional creative economy through alliances and programming.

Financial Support and Government Issues

It has taken $25m to achieve this stage – money gathered from multiple supporters, such as the French and German governments, the UK museum and the local administration.

But at present the state authorities has revoked permission from under it – revoking the occupancy of the land on which the facility was constructed.

An Edo state spokesperson stated this was because in the early agreements it had identified as Edo Museum of West African Art – and it had since dropped "the regional name" from its name.

Demonstrations and Government Action

This announcement followed demonstrations on the weekend, when people invaded the facility demanding it be called the Royal Benin Museum.

A disruptive crowd insulted international visitors at the venue ahead of the inauguration – requiring them to be hurried away under police escort.

Head of state Bola Tinubu has even intervened to try and resolve the conflict, creating a high-level committee to do some damage control.

Governance Issues

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

Much of it comes down to internecine rivalries at a regional government level, as it was the former state leader Godwin Obaseki – whose administration concluded recently – who was a primary advocate of the museum.

And it looks like the administration of the recently elected official, a strong supporter of the local traditional ruler, referred to as the royal figure, may want more of a stake in the project. The demonstrators on that day, for instance, were calling for that the institution be placed under the control of the royal leader.

The Cultural Artifacts Debate

This highlights the contentious issue of the cultural artifacts, one of the region's most celebrated artistic heritage.

Because although the museum does eventually open, these objects will be conspicuously absent.

They are brass, elephant tusk and timber artworks that once decorated the king's residence of the Benin Kingdom before British soldiers looted them in the colonial era during a military operation.

Nowadays, many stay scattered across galleries in Western nations -- including the UK institution, Berlin's Humboldt Forum and the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Return Initiatives

Their repatriation has become one of the most contested conversations in the worldwide cultural sector. Roughly 150 have presently made their way home – and more are due to follow.

When proposals for the museum in the urban center were first announced in recent years, the influential figures on the country's cultural sector anticipated it would become their ideal location – a state-of-the-art complex to exhibit them to the international community.

But the issues became confused two years ago after the federal government announced that the traditional ruler would be the proper guardian of returned objects – and the monarch's court advocated for a museum under the king's authority, contrary to the preferences of Obaseki.

Political Navigation

This placed Mowaa in a challenging circumstance: asserting a clear stance on restitution while being careful on ownership – and emphasising its broader vision, which led to|c