Benin City, Nigeria
In Benin City, the proposed Museum of West African Art (MOWAA) is described as a world-class centre for contemporary African creativity; a place to display and discuss Benin and West African history and Arts. Instead, it has become a battleground between the Oba (King) of Benin, the former state governor, Godwin Obaseki, and his successor and current governor, Monday Okpebholo. The rift exposes serious tensions over ownership, transparency, and the balance between tradition and modern governance.
For decades, Nigerian advocates, including the Benin Dialogue Group, have demanded the return of thousands of Benin bronzes looted during the 1897 British punitive expedition, contingent on secure facilities.
Momentum built in the mid-2010s under Obaseki, who became Edo State governor in 2016. He envisioned the museum as an economic engine, projecting 30,000 jobs and $80 million in annual tourism revenue. The 6.2-hectare site, formerly the colonial-era Benin Central Hospital, was cleared in 2022 after the facility’s relocation.
Initially named the Edo Museum of West African Art (EMOWAA), the project was incorporated as a non-profit trust in 2020. Designed by British-Ghanaian architect Sir David Adjaye, it includes galleries, conservation labs, an archaeological site, and artist studios.
Funding of approximately $25 million came from the French and German governments, the British Museum, and private donors. The name changed in 2023 to MOWAA to reflect a broader West African focus.
Early relations between Obaseki and Oba Ewuare II, who ascended in 2016, seemed cooperative. In 2017, Obaseki publicly pledged a “Benin Royal Museum” as a birthday gift to the monarch, to be built on palace land and house returned bronzes under royal oversight. Video of the pledge reportedly circulated widely. The Oba, a former diplomat, allocated land and engaged international partners.
Tensions emerged by 2019. The palace demanded direct custodianship, viewing external control as a threat to Benin sovereignty. Obaseki pushed for a broader institution to secure global funding and state-of-the-art facilities.
A pivotal moment came in 2023 when Nigeria’s president, Bola Tinubu’s administration decreed the Oba the rightful owner of repatriated bronzes, affirming his role through the National Commission for Museums and Monuments.
Undeterred, Obaseki established the Legacy Restoration Trust, a private entity, to manage the project. The palace accused him of attempting to “mortgage” Benin rights, claiming documents were presented for the Oba’s signature to cede control, documents he refused to sign.
Palace sources described Obaseki’s approach as increasingly hostile and dismissive of traditional input. Obaseki’s team insisted the palace was consulted, with the name change reflecting the 2023 decree and a shift to regional scope.
Two Competing Visions
The dispute crystallises around two irreconcilable models. The Benin Royal Museum, championed by Oba Ewuare II, would be a palace-controlled institution on donated royal land, dedicated exclusively to Benin artefacts. It aligns with the 2023 federal decree, positioning the palace as sole custodian and enabling loans to Western museums on Benin terms.
Funds have been raised separately, with the Oba envisioning a “global centre for cultural preservation.” Critics of MOWAA argue that it dilutes royal authority and risks commodifying sacred heritage.
MOWAA, a non-profit with international trustees, focuses on conservation, education, and economic impact. It disclaims ownership of Benin Bronzes, stating it will display only “modern and contemporary” West African art. Its facilities include restoration labs and programmes to train Nigerian curators. Donors like Germany clarify that funding supported a “bilateral cultural institution,” not bronze storage.
Global Precedents and Their Lessons
Royal palaces worldwide demonstrate varied models of heritage management. The Tower of London houses the Crown Jewels under Historic Royal Palaces, an independent charity that funds itself through ticket sales, retail, and events, reinvesting all revenue in conservation and education.
Topkapi Palace in Istanbul preserves Ottoman relics as a UNESCO site, with revenues directed to Turkey’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism. Versailles, in France, operates as a public museum, generating income to cover maintenance and restorations.
These examples affirm palaces’ role in preservation but counter the Oba’s exclusive model. European precedents favour hybrid governance, royal oversight with public trusts, enhancing accessibility, funding, and scholarly access without eroding sovereignty.
Analysts warn that pure palace control risks limited public access and maintenance challenges, as seen in critiques of Britain’s hidden royal collections. A collaborative Benin Royal Museum could balance honouring the Oba with broader benefits.
Escalation and Political Intervention
Okpebholo,The current state governor and an ally of the Oba, on November 7, declared the “MOWAA issue over” and vowed to convert the project into the Benin Royal Museum. He cited Obaseki’s 2017 pledge and formed a six-member probe committee led by former governor Adams Oshiomhole to investigate funding and palace stakes.
On November 9, protesters stormed a MOWAA preview event, and forced the evacuation of diplomats, including EU ambassador Gautier Mignot and German ambassador Annett Günther. MOWAA cancelled the event and apologised, attributing the disruption to disputes between administrations. On November 10, Okpebholo escorted the envoys to the palace, where the Oba decried the project’s evolution as a “betrayal” and likened it to the 1897 invasion.
Unconfirmed reports on November 11 claimed Okpebholo revoked MOWAA’s land title under the Land Use Act, reclaiming the site for the hospital that had been located there before the museum. MOWAA denied misrepresenting itself to donors, insisting it never claimed title to bronzes and had always affirmed its non-custodial stance.
Obaseki demanded an apology from Okpebholo for “misleading claims,” defending MOWAA’s transparency and noting the hospital site was derelict. German ambassador Günther dismissed land revocation reports as a “social media scam” and pledged cooperation with a federal committee under President Tinubu.
Public Divide and Broader Implications
Public sentiment is polarised. MOWAA supporters criticise Obaseki for altering the project’s scope. Others condemn protest violence as deterring investors. Some propose coexistence: a royal museum for sacred bronzes and MOWAA as a pan-West African hub, possibly under joint trusteeship.
The debacle exposes fault lines in Nigeria’s cultural renaissance. While some say the Oba’s custodianship is legally and spiritually unassailable under the 2023 decree, others insist that Obaseki’s vision addressed infrastructure and funding gaps.
Initial palace alignment frayed over control, with name changes and trust structures eroding trust. The current state governor’s intervention signals clear palace support but risks alienating donors. Revoking land mid-construction, if confirmed, could deter investment and forfeit economic gains. MOWAA’s projections align with institutions like Senegal’s Museum of Black Civilizations.
Ultimately, Edo state can sustain both visions. Federal mediation, as Tinubu pledged, could enforce dialogue. Obaseki’s ambition has brought MOWAA to life, but it is important, some stakeholders insist, that consultations continue with the palace where the royal artefacts are concerned. Harmonious relations are necessary to sustain global interest in the project.
