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Benin City, Nigeria—The highly anticipated opening of the Museum of West African Art (MOWAA), a multi-million dollar cultural project in Benin City, Edo State, has been indefinitely postponed after a group of protesters violently disrupted a pre-opening event on Sunday.

The museum, which was due to officially open on Tuesday, was forced to evacuate guests—including international ambassadors and donors—after an estimated 20 men, some allegedly armed with wooden bats, stormed the MOWAA campus. The protesters reportedly caused minor damage and forced the cancellation of all preview events scheduled for this week.

Core of the Controversy: Ownership of Benin Bronzes

The protest stems from a bitter, long-running dispute over who should control and house the repatriated Benin Bronzes—thousands of artifacts looted by British soldiers in 1897. The disagreement is primarily between the private-sector-led MOWAA initiative and the Oba of Benin, the city's revered traditional ruler, and his allies in the current state government.

• The Protesters' Demand: Videos show the demonstrators chanting in support of the Oba of Benin, Ewuare II, signaling that the core grievance is the traditional ruler's assertion of authority over the priceless cultural heritage.

• MOWAA's Position: Launched five years ago by Nigerian businessman Phillip Ihenacho, MOWAA is an independent, non-profit institution conceived with international support (including funding from the German and French governments and the British Museum) to serve as a world-class center for West African art and conservation. MOWAA's director stated the group was never intended to be solely a repository for the returned Bronzes.

• Political Tension: The incident is intertwined with a political rivalry between the former Edo State Governor, who backed MOWAA, and the current administration, which is closely allied with the Oba and has advocated for the Bronzes to be housed under the palace's authority.

Museum Officials Condemn Violence

MOWAA officials released a statement confirming the disruption and subsequent cancellation of all upcoming preview events. The museum advised visitors to suspend travel plans to the campus until the situation is resolved.

The Federal Ministry of Art, Culture, Tourism, and the Creative Economy also condemned the violence, stating that the disruption "not only endangers a treasured cultural asset but also threatens the peaceful environment necessary for cultural exchange."

The postponement means that, despite the return of over 150 original Bronzes to Nigeria in recent years, none of the artifacts will be on public display at the $25 million MOWAA, due to the unresolved inter-institutional and political disputes.

This video gives insight into the Edo State Government's commitment to protecting the cultural heritage in the context of the MOWAA protests.