Introduction to the Museum of West African Art
The fate of the much-anticipated Museum of West African Art (MOWAA) in Benin City, Nigeria is uncertain. The founding of the museum was initially linked to the return of the Benin bronzes. When plans for the new state-of-the-art facility were first unveiled in 2020, the museum was advertised as having the “most comprehensive exhibition” of Benin Bronzes in the world.
The Benin Bronzes
The Benin Bronzes refer to several thousand objects created by the Edo people in the 15th to 19th centuries. They decorated the royal palace of the Kingdom of Benin in what is now Edo State, Nigeria, until it was looted by British soldiers in an infamous raid in 1897. The treasures ended up in the collections of various Western museums, including the British Museum, Berlin’s Humboldt Forum, and New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Return of the Benin Bronzes
After years of demands from Nigeria, several European museums signed agreements to return the artworks in 2022. The multi-stage return process is underway, and some objects have already been returned. In 2023, Nigeria’s then-President Muhammadu Buhari signed a law establishing that the traditional king of the Edo people, the Oba of Benin, was the owner and custodian of the artifacts.
Current Status of the Benin Bronzes
Currently, many of the bronzes are on display at the National Museum in Benin City, where a public exhibition of the treasures will take place from November 3 to 28. However, some critics fear the treasures could be privatized by the royal heir.
Dispute Over the Museum of West African Art
Oba Ewuare II’s supporters fear that MOWAA is planning to take away the Benin Bronzes from the monarch and are therefore protesting against the new cultural institution. The protesters disrupted MOWAA’s opening program, scheduled to take place November 11-15, by breaking into the main building during a preview event attended by international guests last weekend. The guests were evacuated and “safely escorted to safe locations,” museum organizers said in a statement. The opening of the museum has been postponed indefinitely.
Demands of the Oba of Benin
Oba Ewuare II reportedly wants to take control of the museum and change its name to Benin Royal Museum. He claims that this was the original name used to advertise and fund the institution. However, MOWAA director Phillip Ihenacho says that the museum has never pretended to be anything else and that there is not a single institutional investor that has given them money that has the slightest idea that they are anything other than the Museum of West African Arts.
Funding of the Museum
The project, estimated to cost $25 million, was funded by a number of international organizations, including the French and German governments, the Getty Foundation, the Open Society Foundation, and the British Museum, as well as with support from the Federal Government of Nigeria and the Edo State Government.
Inaugural Exhibition
The inaugural exhibition, “Nigeria Imaginary: Homecoming,” is an expanded version of the country’s acclaimed Venice Biennale show and explores Nigeria’s history, identity, and current events. For Ihenacho, developing infrastructures like MOWAA to promote new artistic voices and strengthen Nigerian expertise in the field of cultural heritage is also part of the African restitution process.
Conclusion
The complicated dispute involving politics, traditional royal culture, and international donors is putting the ambitious vision of the Museum of West African Art on hold. The fate of the museum remains uncertain, and it is unclear when it will be able to open its doors to the public.
