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Nigeria's remarkable new Art Museum of West Africa (Mowaa) has ended up in the middle of area political conflicts during the week it was expected to – but was unable – to begin operations to the public for the first time.

The Grand Vision

The six-hectare complex sits in the heart of Benin City, main city of the southern state of Edo – and features an excavation site and facilities created by renowned British-Ghanaian architect Sir David Adjaye, most famous for the National Museum of African American History and Culture that opened in Washington DC in 2016.

It has been half a decade in the making – and is envisioned to showcase both the past and the modern times of artistic expression in the locale famous for the historic artworks, artworks stolen from the royal palace by British soldiers in the 1800s.

Readiness and Potential

It is notable – and ahead of the planned opening, Mowaa was active with workers resolved to prove it is a venue that can compete with well-known museums and galleries in the West.

Internally preservation experts carefully opened artworks from secure wrapping, inspecting each item and taking meticulous notes before placing them on exhibition areas and stands.

Experts calibrated temperature regulation systems. In the materials science laboratory, personnel adjusted devices intended to maintain historical artefacts.

Investment and Economic Plans

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

"I aim us to have a significant financial effect on area populations in this region," he told the press, mentioning that he hoped to make Benin City "an arts hub."

Mowaa, a non-profit local organization, sees itself creating more than 30,000 employment opportunities and adding more than $80m annually to the area arts sector through collaborations and events.

Financial Support and Government Issues

It has taken $25m to achieve this stage – money collected from different donors, including the French and German governments, the British Museum and the Edo state government.

But currently the local government has withdrawn support from below it – terminating the occupancy of the land on which the museum was built.

An Edo state spokesperson clarified this was because in the early agreements it had identified as Edo Museum of West African Art – and it had since removed "the regional name" from its title.

Demonstrations and Government Action

This announcement was preceded by demonstrations on recently, when protesters invaded the facility calling for it be named the Benin Royal Museum.

A boisterous group harassed foreign guests at the venue before the opening – forcing them to be hurried away under police escort.

Head of state Bola Tinubu has also stepped in to try and resolve the dispute, creating a high-level committee to address the controversy.

Governance Issues

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

The majority of it comes down to internecine rivalries at a local state level, as it was Edo's previous governor Godwin Obaseki – whose term in office concluded recently – who was a major backer of the museum.

And it seems the government of the recently elected official, a key associate of the local traditional ruler, called the royal figure, may desire greater involvement in the initiative. The activists on that day, for example, were calling for that the museum be put under the control of the current Oba.

The Cultural Artifacts Debate

This highlights the controversial matter of the cultural artifacts, one of the region's most famous historical legacy.

Because although the facility does eventually open, these objects will be clearly not present.

They are metal, ivory and timber artworks that once embellished the monarch's home of the historical empire before colonial troops looted them in 1897 during a colonial invasion.

Today, many stay scattered across galleries in Europe and North America -- including the British Museum, European center and the New York institution.

Restitution Efforts

Their repatriation has become one of the most debated discussions in the global art world. Roughly 150 have now been returned – and additional are scheduled to be repatriated.

When plans for the facility in the urban center were first announced in recent years, the movers and shakers on the national arts community expected it would become their perfect venue – a modern complex to display them to the world.

But the issues became confused recently after the central administration declared that the Oba would be the rightful owner of repatriated artifacts – and the monarch's court pushed for a institution under the king's authority, against the desires of the former governor.

Strategic Positioning

This left Mowaa in a difficult situation: asserting a definite position on return while remaining diplomatic on ownership – and highlighting its larger purpose, which led to|c