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Nigeria's remarkable new Museum of West African Art (Mowaa) has ended up in the crosshairs of regional political struggles during the week it was scheduled to – but failed – to begin operations to the visitors for the very first time.

The Grand Vision

The 15-acre facility sits in the center of Benin's urban center, main city of the southern region of Edo – and includes an historical dig and structures created by high-profile Ghanaian-British architect Sir David Adjaye, best known for the Smithsonian African American Museum that began operations in the US capital in 2016.

It has been half a decade in the development – and is planned to showcase both the past and the modern times of artistic expression in the region known for the Benin Bronzes, artworks looted from the city's royal palace by British soldiers in the 19th Century.

Preparation and Promise

It is remarkable – and before the scheduled opening, Mowaa was energetic with workers committed to show it is a institution that can rival renowned cultural centers in the Europe and America.

Within art restorers carefully unwrapped art pieces from safety materials, examining each artifact and taking detailed records before positioning them on walls and stands.

Technicians calibrated environmental controls. In the research lab, officers adjusted devices meant to preserve historical artefacts.

Financial Backing and Economic Vision

The project has been the brainchild of investor Phillip Ihenacho – now Mowaa's executive director.

"I hope us to have a significant economic impact on area populations around here," he stated to journalists, mentioning that he hoped to make this urban center "an arts hub."

Mowaa, a not-for-profit local organization, sees itself creating in excess of 30,000 work positions and providing more than $80m annually to the local cultural industry through alliances and events.

Investment and Administrative Problems

It has required $25m to achieve this stage – funds gathered from various donors, featuring the international partners, the UK museum and the local administration.

But currently the local government has pulled the rug from beneath it – canceling the occupancy of the site on which the building was erected.

An government communicator clarified this was because in the original paperwork it had referred to itself as Edo Museum of West African Art – and it had later eliminated "the regional name" from its designation.

Unrest and Official Response

This statement came after rallies on recently, when activists stormed the facility insisting it be named the Royal Benin Museum.

A disruptive assembly confronted foreign guests at the facility prior to the inauguration – compelling them to be escorted out under security protection.

President Bola Tinubu has also stepped in to work to address the conflict, setting up a high-level committee to manage the situation.

Administrative Challenges

But how has this become so politicised – and such a reputation problem?

Much of it results from internal conflicts at a regional government level, as it was Edo's previous governor Godwin Obaseki – whose governance finished last year – who was a major backer of the museum.

And it looks like the leadership of the recently elected official, a strong supporter of the local traditional ruler, referred to as the traditional leader, may want more of a stake in the project. The protesters on the weekend, for example, were demanding that the museum be put under the control of Oba Ewuare II.

The Cultural Artifacts Debate

This brings into focus the contentious issue of the Benin Bronzes, one of the region's most celebrated artistic heritage.

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

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

Nowadays, numerous continue to be spread across museums in Europe and North America -- featuring the British Museum, European center and the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Return Initiatives

Their return has become one of the most contested debates in the global art world. About 150 have currently come back – and more are scheduled to be repatriated.

When ideas for the facility in Benin City were originally proposed in 2019, the influential figures on Nigeria's art scene hoped it would become their perfect venue – a state-of-the-art facility to display them to the global audience.

But the situation became complicated some time back after the central administration declared that the Oba would be the proper guardian of returned objects – and the royal household advocated for a museum under the king's authority, against the wishes of Obaseki.

Political Navigation

This placed Mowaa in a difficult situation: asserting a specific viewpoint on repatriation while remaining diplomatic on custodianship – and emphasising its broader vision, which led to|c