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Nigeria's impressive new Museum of West African Art (Mowaa) has found itself in the middle of local power politics during the time it was scheduled to – but was unable – to welcome visitors to the public for the very first time.

The Grand Vision

The six-hectare facility stands in the center of the Edo state capital, main city of the southern state of Edo – and features an archaeological dig and facilities created by renowned British-Ghanaian architect Sir David Adjaye, particularly noted for the Smithsonian African American Museum that was inaugurated in the US capital in 2016.

It has been 60 months in the making – and is designed to honor both the heritage and the current era of creativity in the area renowned for the cultural artifacts, cultural objects looted from the king's palace by UK forces in the 19th Century.

Setup and Prospects

It is impressive – and ahead of the anticipated opening, Mowaa was active with employees resolved to demonstrate it is a institution that can match well-known museums and galleries in the West.

Inside conservators carefully opened art pieces from safety materials, examining each piece and taking detailed records before arranging them on display surfaces and plinths.

Experts fine-tuned climate control systems. In the research lab, staff members set up equipment designed to conserve centuries-old objects.

Financial Backing and Economic Vision

The initiative has been the brainchild of entrepreneur Phillip Ihenacho – currently Mowaa's chief executive.

"I want us to have a major economic impact on local residents in this region," he explained to media outlets, adding that he aspired to make this urban center "a cultural destination."

Mowaa, a charitable national foundation, envisions itself generating over 30,000 employment opportunities and providing above $80m each year to the regional creative economy through collaborations and activities.

Financial Support and Government Issues

It has needed $25m to achieve this stage – money raised from different donors, featuring the European governments, the London institution and the local administration.

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

An government communicator stated this was because in the initial documents it had identified as Edo Museum of West African Art – and it had later eliminated "Edo" from its title.

Protests and Political Intervention

This statement followed protests on the weekend, when activists stormed the complex insisting it be designated the Royal Benin Museum.

A boisterous group confronted foreign guests at the facility ahead of the inauguration – compelling them to be hurried away under police escort.

President Bola Tinubu has also stepped in to work to address the conflict, establishing a high-level committee to do some damage control.

Governance Issues

But how has this turned into so divisive – and such a PR disaster?

A great deal of it stems from local power struggles at a regional government level, as it was the ex-administrator Godwin Obaseki – whose term in office finished last year – who was a key supporter of the initiative.

And it looks like the administration of the recently elected official, a close ally of the regional monarch, referred to as the traditional leader, may desire more of a stake in the initiative. The protesters on the weekend, for instance, were demanding that the facility be positioned under the supervision of Oba Ewuare II.

The Benin Bronzes Controversy

This brings into focus the contentious issue of the Benin Bronzes, one of the continent's most famous historical legacy.

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

They are metal, elephant tusk and timber artworks that once adorned the monarch's home of the ancient kingdom before British soldiers took them in the colonial era during a colonial invasion.

Currently, many remain distributed across museums in Europe and North America -- such as the British Museum, European center and the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Restitution Efforts

Their return has become one of the most contested discussions in the global art world. About 150 have presently come back – and additional are due to follow.

When proposals for the institution in the urban center were initially revealed in 2019, the movers and shakers on the national arts community anticipated it would become their natural home – a modern campus to display them to the global audience.

But the waters were muddied two years ago after the central administration declared that the traditional ruler would be the rightful owner of returned objects – and the royal household campaigned for a museum under the monarch's supervision, opposing the desires of the former governor.

Strategic Positioning

This placed Mowaa in a difficult situation: asserting a definite position on return while staying tactful on custodianship – and emphasising its wider mission, which led to|c