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Nigeria's remarkable new Museum of West African Art (Mowaa) has landed in the crosshairs of regional political struggles during the week it was supposed to – but was unable – to open its doors to the general public for the first time.

The Major Initiative

The six-hectare complex stands in the core of the Edo state capital, capital of the southern area of Edo – and features an archaeological dig and structures designed by renowned British-Ghanaian architect Sir David Adjaye, most famous for the National Museum of African American History and Culture that was inaugurated in Washington in 2016.

It has been 60 months in the making – and is designed to honor both the heritage and the modern times of cultural innovation in the region famous for the cultural artifacts, historical pieces stolen from the king's palace by UK forces in the 1800s.

Preparation and Promise

It is notable – and ahead of the scheduled opening, Mowaa was energetic with workers committed to show it is a venue that can rival renowned museums and galleries in the Western world.

Inside art restorers meticulously revealed art pieces from protective packaging, examining each piece and taking detailed records before positioning them on walls and bases.

Specialists fine-tuned environmental controls. In the materials science laboratory, officers set up equipment meant to preserve historical objects.

Investment and Economic Plans

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

"I aim us to have a significant economic impact on local residents around here," he told the press, adding that he hoped to make the city "a tourism center."

Mowaa, a non-profit local organization, sees itself generating over 30,000 employment opportunities and contributing over $80m each year to the local cultural industry through collaborations and programming.

Financial Support and Government Issues

It has taken $25m to achieve this stage – capital collected from various supporters, featuring the international partners, the London institution and the regional authorities.

But at present the local government has revoked permission from beneath it – terminating the utilization of the land on which the building was erected.

An official representative explained this was because in the early agreements it had identified as Edo Museum of West African Art – and it had since dropped "Edo" from its name.

Demonstrations and Government Action

This announcement followed protests on recently, when activists stormed the facility demanding it be designated the Museum of the Benin Kingdom.

A boisterous crowd confronted foreign guests at the museum prior to the launch – forcing them to be hurried away under official guard.

National leader Bola Tinubu has additionally intervened to try and resolve the tensions, establishing a presidential committee to do some damage control.

Governance Issues

But why has this turned into so politicised – and such a reputation problem?

The majority of it comes down to internal conflicts at a area administrative level, as it was Edo's previous governor Godwin Obaseki – whose administration concluded recently – who was a major backer of the initiative.

And it looks like the leadership of the current leader, a close ally of the area king, called the traditional leader, may want greater involvement in the project. The activists on that day, for instance, were insisting that the facility be put under the supervision of the current Oba.

The Cultural Artifacts Debate

This brings into focus the disputed topic of the Benin Bronzes, one of the continent's most celebrated artistic heritage.

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

They are metal, ivory and timber sculptures that once decorated the king's residence of the historical empire before UK forces stole them in the colonial era during a punitive expedition.

Nowadays, many continue to be distributed across institutions in Western nations -- including the British Museum, German museum and the American museum.

Repatriation Campaigns

Their repatriation has become one of the most debated debates in the international art community. Approximately 150 have now made their way home – and additional are scheduled to be repatriated.

When plans for the museum in the city were initially revealed in recent years, the key players on the country's cultural sector expected it would become their natural home – a state-of-the-art facility to display them to the world.

But the situation became complicated recently after the federal government stated that the traditional ruler would be the legal custodian of repatriated artifacts – and the palace advocated for a facility under the monarch's supervision, against the wishes of the former governor.

Strategic Positioning

This placed Mowaa in a challenging circumstance: asserting a specific viewpoint on restitution while being careful on custodianship – and highlighting its larger purpose, which led to|c