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The nation's impressive new West African Art Museum (Mowaa) has ended up in the middle of regional political struggles during the period it was scheduled to – but was unable – to open its doors to the public for the first time.

The Major Initiative

The 15-acre facility is located in the core of the Edo state capital, administrative center of the southern state of Edo – and contains an archaeological dig and facilities planned by high-profile Ghanaian-British architect Sir David Adjaye, best known for the Smithsonian African American Museum that opened in Washington DC in 2016.

It has been 60 months in the making – and is designed to celebrate both the past and the present of creativity in the region known for the cultural artifacts, historical pieces looted from the city's royal palace by British troops in the nineteenth century.

Preparation and Promise

It is notable – and ahead of the scheduled opening, Mowaa was active with staff resolved to show it is a place that can compete with renowned cultural centers in the West.

Within art restorers precisely revealed cultural items from safety materials, inspecting each piece and taking detailed documentation before positioning them on walls and stands.

Specialists fine-tuned environmental controls. In the scientific facility, staff members adjusted devices designed to conserve historical artefacts.

Financial Backing and Economic Vision

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

"I aim us to have a major economic impact on area populations around here," he stated to the press, adding that he wanted to make this urban center "a tourism center."

Mowaa, a not-for-profit national foundation, envisions itself generating over 30,000 employment opportunities and adding over $80m annually to the local cultural industry through alliances and programming.

Investment and Administrative Problems

It has taken $25m to get here – funds raised from various contributors, featuring the French and German governments, the British Museum and the local administration.

But currently the local government has pulled the rug from beneath it – terminating the use of the property on which the facility was constructed.

An Edo state spokesperson clarified this was because in the original paperwork it had referred to itself as EMOWAA – and it had since eliminated "the regional name" from its name.

Demonstrations and Government Action

This announcement was preceded by protests on the weekend, when activists entered the complex insisting it be called the Museum of the Benin Kingdom.

A disruptive assembly confronted overseas dignitaries at the facility before the inauguration – compelling them to be escorted out under security protection.

National leader Bola Tinubu has even stepped in to attempt to settle the conflict, setting up a special task force to manage the situation.

Governance Issues

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

Much of it results from internecine rivalries at a regional government level, as it was Edo's previous governor Godwin Obaseki – whose administration ended 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, referred to as the Oba, may want more of a stake in the initiative. The protesters on Sunday, for instance, were demanding that the facility be put under the authority of the royal leader.

The Cultural Artifacts Debate

This highlights the controversial matter of the cultural artifacts, one of Africa's most celebrated cultural treasures.

Because even if the facility does finally begin operations, these artifacts will be conspicuously absent.

They are brass, ivory and wooden carvings that once adorned the king's residence of the Benin Kingdom before British soldiers stole them in the late nineteenth century during a colonial invasion.

Nowadays, many stay spread across institutions in Europe and North America -- such as the British Museum, Berlin's Humboldt Forum and the New York institution.

Repatriation Campaigns

Their homecoming has become one of the most disputed discussions in the worldwide cultural sector. About 150 have now made their way home – and more are expected to return.

When ideas for the facility in Benin City were initially revealed in 2019, the influential figures on the country's cultural sector expected it would become their perfect venue – a modern facility to display them to the global audience.

But the issues became confused two years ago after the central administration declared that the Oba would be the rightful owner of repatriated artifacts – and the palace campaigned for a facility under the monarch's supervision, contrary to the wishes of the former governor.

Diplomatic Challenges

This placed Mowaa in a delicate position: maintaining a specific viewpoint on repatriation while staying tactful on ownership – and highlighting its larger purpose, which led to|c