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Nigeria's stunning new Art Museum of West Africa (Mowaa) has found itself in the crosshairs of area political conflicts during the week it was scheduled to – but failed – to open its doors to the public for the initial occasion.

The Ambitious Project

The large-scale complex stands in the core of Benin City, administrative center of the southern area of Edo – and includes an historical dig and facilities planned by celebrated British-Ghanaian architect Sir David Adjaye, most famous for the Washington African American Museum that was inaugurated in Washington DC in 2016.

It has been five years in the development – and is envisioned to showcase both the past and the present of creativity in the locale renowned for the historic artworks, artworks stolen from the city's royal palace by British soldiers in the 1800s.

Preparation and Promise

It is impressive – and before the planned opening, Mowaa was energetic with workers determined to prove it is a place that can rival well-known museums and galleries in the Western world.

Internally conservators precisely unwrapped art pieces from safety materials, inspecting each item and taking meticulous documentation before positioning them on display surfaces and bases.

Specialists fine-tuned climate control systems. In the research lab, officers adjusted equipment meant to conserve historical items.

Investment and Economic Plans

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

"I hope us to have a major economic impact on area populations in this region," he stated to media outlets, mentioning that he hoped to make Benin City "a cultural destination."

Mowaa, a not-for-profit local organization, sees itself creating more than 30,000 employment opportunities and providing more than $80m per year to the area arts sector through partnerships and programming.

Investment and Administrative Problems

It has taken $25m to achieve this stage – money gathered from different supporters, such as the French and German governments, the UK museum and the Edo state government.

But now the local government has revoked permission from below it – canceling the utilization of the property on which the facility was constructed.

An Edo state spokesperson explained this was because in the original paperwork it had identified as Edo Museum of West African Art – and it had since removed "Edo" from its name.

Protests and Political Intervention

This declaration came after protests on recently, when protesters entered the facility calling for it be named the Benin Royal Museum.

A boisterous crowd confronted foreign guests at the venue prior to the inauguration – requiring them to be quickly removed under security protection.

Head of state Bola Tinubu has also stepped in to try and resolve the tensions, setting up a high-level committee to do some damage control.

Governance Issues

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

A great deal of it comes down to internal conflicts at a local state level, as it was the ex-administrator Godwin Obaseki – whose term in office concluded recently – who was a key supporter of the museum.

And it looks like the administration of the current leader, a strong supporter of the local traditional ruler, known as the Oba, may want more of a stake in the venture. The activists on Sunday, for example, were calling for that the facility be put under the authority of the royal leader.

The Historical Objects Discussion

This highlights the contentious issue of the cultural artifacts, one of the region's most celebrated artistic heritage.

Because though the museum does eventually open, these bronzes will be clearly not present.

They are metal, elephant tusk and wooden artworks that once adorned the royal palace of the historical empire before colonial troops took them in the colonial era during a military operation.

Nowadays, thousands stay spread across galleries in Europe and North America -- featuring the British Museum, European center and the New York institution.

Restitution Efforts

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

When plans for the facility in the urban center were initially revealed in recent years, the movers and shakers on the country's cultural sector anticipated it would become their ideal location – a state-of-the-art facility to display them to the world.

But the issues became confused some time back after the national authorities stated that the traditional ruler would be the rightful owner of returned objects – and the palace pushed for a facility under the king's authority, against the wishes of the ex-leader.

Strategic Positioning

This left Mowaa in a challenging circumstance: asserting a definite position on repatriation while remaining diplomatic on ownership – and emphasising its larger purpose, which led to|c