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Nigeria's impressive new Art Museum of West Africa (Mowaa) has landed in the crosshairs of regional political struggles during the week it was expected to – but did not manage – to begin operations to the general public for the very first time.

The Grand Vision

The six-hectare facility sits in the heart of the Edo state capital, main city of the southern state of Edo – and features an archaeological dig and buildings created by celebrated Ghanaian-British architect Sir David Adjaye, best known for the Washington African American Museum that opened in Washington in 2016.

It has been half a decade in the development – and is designed to honor both the past and the current era of creativity in the locale known for the historic artworks, cultural objects looted from the royal palace by UK forces in the nineteenth century.

Preparation and Promise

It is impressive – and prior to the scheduled opening, Mowaa was buzzing with staff committed to prove it is a venue that can rival established art institutions in the Europe and America.

Within art restorers carefully revealed cultural items from safety materials, inspecting each piece and taking meticulous records before positioning them on walls and bases.

Technicians adjusted environmental controls. In the research lab, officers set up devices intended to maintain historical items.

Funding and Economic Goals

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

"I hope us to have a major financial effect on area populations around here," he told media outlets, mentioning that he hoped to make the city "a tourism center."

Mowaa, a not-for-profit national foundation, sees itself establishing in excess of 30,000 work positions and adding more than $80m annually to the regional creative economy through alliances and activities.

Funding Sources and Political Challenges

It has taken $25m to achieve this stage – funds raised from various contributors, featuring the European governments, the London institution and the Edo state government.

But now the local government has withdrawn support from beneath it – canceling the use of the site on which the building was erected.

An official representative clarified this was because in the early agreements it had referred to itself as the Edo-named institution – and it had subsequently dropped "the regional name" from its name.

Demonstrations and Government Action

This announcement followed demonstrations on recently, when protesters invaded the campus insisting it be called the Benin Royal Museum.

A rowdy assembly harassed overseas dignitaries at the facility ahead of the launch – requiring them to be escorted out under official guard.

National leader Bola Tinubu has also stepped in to try and resolve the conflict, setting up a high-level committee to manage the situation.

Administrative Challenges

But why has this evolved into so politicised – and such a PR disaster?

Much of it stems from local power struggles at a regional government level, as it was Edo's previous governor Godwin Obaseki – whose term in office concluded recently – who was a key supporter of the museum.

And it seems the government of the current leader, a key associate of the regional monarch, called the royal figure, may desire increased control in the project. The activists on Sunday, for instance, were demanding that the museum be put under the control of the current Oba.

The Historical Objects Discussion

This highlights the controversial matter of the Benin Bronzes, one of Africa's most famous historical legacy.

Because though the institution does ultimately welcome visitors, these bronzes will be noticeably missing.

They are brass, elephant tusk and wooden sculptures that once embellished the monarch's home of the Benin Kingdom before British soldiers looted them in 1897 during a military operation.

Nowadays, many continue to be distributed across museums in the West -- including the British Museum, Berlin's Humboldt Forum and the New York institution.

Restitution Efforts

Their return has become one of the most debated debates in the international art community. About 150 have now been returned – and more are scheduled to be repatriated.

When ideas for the museum in Benin City were first announced in the pre-pandemic era, the key players on Nigeria's art scene anticipated it would become their perfect venue – a state-of-the-art complex to exhibit them to the global audience.

But the waters were muddied two years ago after the national authorities stated that the Oba would be the rightful owner of repatriated artifacts – and the royal household campaigned for a museum under the royal family's direct control, opposing the wishes of the former governor.

Diplomatic Challenges

This left Mowaa in a challenging circumstance: maintaining a specific viewpoint on repatriation while staying tactful on ownership – and highlighting its broader vision, which led to|c