A preview event at the newly completed Museum of West African Art (MOWAA) in Benin City, Edo State, was disrupted on Sunday as protesters stormed the venue, forcing organizers to suspend activities ahead of the museum’s official opening scheduled for Tuesday.
The multi-million-dollar cultural landmark has become the center of growing controversy over the ownership and control of Nigeria’s historic artifacts, particularly the world-renowned Benin Bronzes.
Videos shared on social media showed crowds of protesters entering the museum grounds, confronting guests — including foreign dignitaries — and demanding they leave the premises. Witnesses said the demonstrators damaged parts of the property and accused organizers of sidelining key local stakeholders, notably the Benin Royal Palace, in the planning and management of the project.
Security operatives were later deployed to disperse the crowd and ensure the safety of visitors.
In a statement released afterward, MOWAA confirmed the incident, saying all guests were “safely escorted to secure locations.” The museum attributed the unrest to “disputes between the previous and current state administrations,” while emphasizing that it remains “an independent, non-profit organization, of which the former governor has no interest, financial or otherwise.”
“We are deeply grateful to all our guests, many of whom traveled long distances, for their patience and resilience,” the statement read. “We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience caused.”
Designed by British-Ghanaian architect David Adjaye, the $25 million facility — according to BBC reports — was conceived as a major center for cultural research, preservation, and education. The museum features state-of-the-art conservation and restoration laboratories and was intended to house repatriated Benin Bronzes looted by British soldiers during the 1897 invasion of the Benin Kingdom.
However, the ongoing dispute over the rightful ownership and custodianship of the bronzes has prevented the artifacts from being displayed at MOWAA — an issue that appeared to fuel the tensions behind Sunday’s protest.
