What was meant to be a proud cultural milestone in southern Nigeria turned into a day of chaos and anger. The grand opening of a new multi-million dollar museum in Edo State was abruptly postponed on Tuesday after protesters stormed the venue, demanding that it be placed under the authority of the Oba of Benin — the region’s revered traditional ruler.
The museum, known as Mowaa, had been envisioned as a state-of-the-art cultural hub complete with preservation and restoration facilities. Part of its founding idea was to one day serve as a home for the world-famous Benin Bronzes — the priceless artefacts looted by British soldiers in the late 19th century. But a long-running dispute over ownership has kept the bronzes out of the museum’s reach.
The protesters’ anger, however, was not only about the artefacts. Many locals felt the project had been wrestled away from its cultural roots.
“The Benin Oba, traditional rulers, and the government of Edo are not happy about it,” one resident told the BBC. “This was supposed to be our heritage project, but it feels hijacked.”
Initially called the Edo Museum of West African Art, the institution later dropped “Edo” from its name — a change that some saw as symbolic of its drift away from local identity. Executive Director Phillip Ihenacho defended the decision, saying the backers wanted Mowaa to “serve a wider purpose beyond Nigeria.”
When tempers flared and demonstrators forced their way onto the grounds, all guests were safely escorted to secure locations.
In a statement after the incident, the museum apologised:
“We sincerely apologise for any inconvenience this situation may have caused. Our focus has always been on modern and contemporary art, alongside historical collections from Nigeria and West Africa.”
Mowaa’s management stressed that the protest “appeared to stem from disputes between the previous and current state administrations,” and insisted the institution remains “independent and non-profit.”
Although a former governor had championed the project, the museum emphasised he holds “no financial or other interest” in it.
For now, all preview events have been cancelled, and visitors have been urged to stay away from the campus until the situation stabilises.
“We are deeply grateful to all our guests — many of whom travelled long distances to be here — for their understanding, patience, and resilience,” the museum said.
No new date has been set for the opening, leaving both supporters and sceptics waiting to see whether Mowaa can find a balance between global ambition and local heritage.