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The nation's stunning new West African Art Museum (Mowaa) has ended up in the middle of regional political struggles during the week it was scheduled to – but was unable – to begin operations to the public for the very first time.

The Ambitious Project

The 15-acre complex is located in the core of Benin City, main city of the southern state of Edo – and features an excavation site and buildings created by celebrated Ghanaian-British architect Sir David Adjaye, most famous for the Washington African American Museum that opened in Washington DC in 2016.

It has been 60 months in the creation – and is planned to showcase both the heritage and the present of cultural innovation in the region known for the historic artworks, historical pieces looted from the royal palace by UK forces in the 19th Century.

Preparation and Promise

It is impressive – and prior to the planned opening, Mowaa was active with employees resolved to show it is a place that can match established cultural centers in the Western world.

Internally preservation experts precisely opened cultural items from safety materials, examining each artifact and taking thorough records before placing them on display surfaces and bases.

Experts calibrated temperature regulation systems. In the research lab, personnel adjusted equipment meant to maintain centuries-old items.

Financial Backing and Economic Vision

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

"I aim us to have a significant economic impact on area populations in the vicinity," he stated to media outlets, adding that he hoped to make the city "an arts hub."

Mowaa, a not-for-profit local organization, sees itself establishing more than 30,000 direct and indirect jobs and providing over $80m annually to the local cultural industry through collaborations and activities.

Investment and Administrative Problems

It has taken $25m to reach this point – capital raised from different supporters, such as the international partners, the UK museum and the regional authorities.

But currently the state authorities has withdrawn support from beneath it – canceling the utilization of the site on which the building was erected.

An official representative clarified this was because in the early agreements it had called itself Edo Museum of West African Art – and it had since dropped "Edo" from its title.

Protests and Political Intervention

This announcement was preceded by protests on Sunday, when protesters entered the facility demanding it be called the Museum of the Benin Kingdom.

A rowdy group harassed foreign guests at the venue ahead of the inauguration – compelling them to be quickly removed under police escort.

Head of state Bola Tinubu has even become involved to try and resolve the dispute, establishing a special task force to manage the situation.

Governance Issues

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

A great deal of it comes down to internal conflicts at a local state level, as it was the former state leader Godwin Obaseki – whose governance ended last year – who was a key supporter of the initiative.

And it looks like the leadership of the new governor, a close ally of the area king, known as the Oba, may want increased control in the venture. The protesters on that day, for example, were calling for that the museum be put under the control of Oba Ewuare II.

The Benin Bronzes Controversy

This highlights the controversial matter of the historical artworks, one of the continent's most renowned cultural treasures.

Because even if the institution does eventually welcome visitors, these objects will be conspicuously absent.

They are brass, elephant tusk and timber artworks that once embellished the king's residence of the Benin Kingdom before UK forces stole them in the colonial era during a military operation.

Today, many stay scattered across institutions in Europe and North America -- such as the UK institution, German museum and the New York institution.

Return Initiatives

Their repatriation has become one of the most debated conversations in the international art community. Roughly 150 have now made their way home – and more are expected to return.

When ideas for the museum in Benin City were originally proposed in recent years, the influential figures on Nigeria's art scene anticipated it would become their ideal location – a modern complex to display them to the international community.

But the waters were muddied two years ago after the federal government stated that the Oba would be the legal custodian of any returned bronzes – and the palace advocated for a facility under the monarch's supervision, against the preferences of the ex-leader.

Diplomatic Challenges

This placed Mowaa in a difficult situation: asserting a definite position on restitution while being careful on ownership – and highlighting its broader vision, which led to|c