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The nation's stunning new West African Art Museum (Mowaa) has ended up in the crosshairs of area political conflicts during the week it was scheduled to – but did not manage – to open its doors to the visitors for the first time.

The Ambitious Project

The 15-acre facility is located in the core of the Edo state capital, administrative center of the southern region of Edo – and includes an archaeological dig and structures designed by high-profile Ghanaian-British architect Sir David Adjaye, best known for the Washington African American Museum that began operations in Washington DC in 2016.

It has been 60 months in the making – and is planned to honor both the past and the current era of cultural innovation in the region known for the historic artworks, historical pieces looted from the royal palace by British soldiers in the 19th Century.

Preparation and Promise

It is remarkable – and prior to the anticipated opening, Mowaa was active with employees determined to demonstrate it is a place that can rival established art institutions in the Western world.

Internally preservation experts precisely unwrapped artworks from safety materials, examining each artifact and taking meticulous documentation before positioning them on display surfaces and bases.

Technicians fine-tuned environmental controls. In the scientific facility, personnel adjusted instruments intended to preserve historical items.

Investment and Economic Plans

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

"I hope us to have a major economic impact on local residents in the vicinity," he explained to journalists, noting that he wanted to make this urban center "an arts hub."

Mowaa, a charitable local organization, sees itself creating more than 30,000 direct and indirect jobs and providing more than $80m annually to the local cultural industry through collaborations and events.

Investment and Administrative Problems

It has taken $25m to achieve this stage – funds collected from multiple supporters, featuring the European governments, the UK museum and the local administration.

But currently the local government has withdrawn support from under it – revoking the use of the site on which the building was erected.

An official representative clarified this was because in the early agreements it had identified as Edo Museum of West African Art – and it had later eliminated "the state identifier" from its name.

Unrest and Official Response

This announcement followed rallies on the weekend, when people invaded the facility insisting it be designated the Royal Benin Museum.

A disruptive crowd insulted overseas dignitaries at the venue before the inauguration – compelling them to be quickly removed under police escort.

National leader Bola Tinubu has additionally stepped in to work to address the tensions, creating a high-level committee to address the controversy.

Governance Issues

But in what way has this become so politicised – and such a PR disaster?

A great deal of it comes down to internecine rivalries at a area administrative level, as it was the former state leader Godwin Obaseki – whose term in office ended the previous year – who was a major backer of the museum.

And it appears the leadership of the current leader, a close ally of the local traditional ruler, referred to as the traditional leader, may desire increased control in the initiative. The demonstrators on Sunday, for instance, were insisting that the institution be placed under the supervision of the royal leader.

The Historical Objects Discussion

This brings into focus the disputed topic of the cultural artifacts, one of the continent's most celebrated cultural treasures.

Because although the institution does ultimately open, these artifacts will be conspicuously absent.

They are brass, ivory and wooden sculptures that once decorated the royal palace of the Benin Kingdom before colonial troops took them in the colonial era during a colonial invasion.

Nowadays, thousands continue to be spread across museums in Europe and North America -- such as the London museum, German museum and the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Restitution Efforts

Their return has become one of the most debated debates in the global art world. Approximately 150 have presently been returned – and further are scheduled to be repatriated.

When plans for the institution in the urban center were first announced in recent years, the movers and shakers on the country's cultural sector expected it would become their perfect venue – a state-of-the-art complex to show them off to the international community.

But the issues became confused two years ago after the central administration announced that the Oba would be the legal custodian of returned objects – and the monarch's court advocated for a institution under the king's authority, contrary to the wishes of the ex-leader.

Strategic Positioning

This left Mowaa in a delicate position: expressing a definite position on restitution while remaining diplomatic on custodianship – and highlighting its larger purpose, which led to|c