Pre‑opening Stormed: Museum of West African Arts Opening Postponed Indefinitely in Benin City

The planned official opening of the Museum of West African Arts (MOWAA) in Benin City has been postponed indefinitely after roughly 20 men disrupted a private pre‑opening event on Sunday, forcing guests to take refuge inside and causing minor damage to the reception area, officials and witnesses said.

MOWAA, launched five years ago by Nigerian businessman Phillip Ihenacho with support from the former Edo State governor, was due to open formally on Tuesday. The project has drawn international backing and funding from the French and German governments, the British Museum and private donors, and aims to host exhibitions, archives and residencies for West African artists and craftspeople.

Incident at the pre-opening

According to witnesses and AFP reporters at the scene, about 20 men — some carrying wooden bats — forced their way into the museum courtyard during a donors' and industry professionals' event. Guests sheltered inside while the group caused minor vandalism to parts of the reception pavilion and courtyard. After roughly two hours, museum staff escorted attendees away by bus to a nearby hotel.

“Protesters entered and began vandalising part of the reception pavilion, where we receive visitors, then they stormed inside the front section, where the exhibition area is located,” Phillip Ihenacho told AFP.

Context and tensions

The disruption highlights mounting political and custodial tensions in Benin. The museum has become a flashpoint between the former governor who backed the project and his successor, an ally of the city’s traditional ruler, Oba Ewuare II, who has asserted a claim to oversight of cultural institutions in the city.

Benin has long campaigned for the return of artifacts taken during colonial campaigns, most notably the Benin Bronzes seized in a punitive British expedition more than 120 years ago and dispersed to museums and private collections across Europe and the United States. Those debates over ownership and stewardship form part of the backdrop to the current dispute.

Official response

Nigeria’s Culture Minister, Hannatu Musa Musawa, condemned the disruption and described it as endangering a valuable cultural asset and the peaceful environment needed for cultural exchange. She said the federal government was in consultation with Edo State authorities, security agencies and other stakeholders to ascertain the facts and determine an appropriate, proportionate response.

The museum’s management said it remains committed to its stated mission as the Museum of West African Arts and that it will continue to engage with community leaders and authorities to find a way forward. No arrests or detailed statements of demands from the attackers were reported publicly at the time of the incident.

Next steps: MOWAA’s official opening has been put on hold while investigations and consultations continue. Stakeholders have emphasised the need for dialogue to prevent further escalation and to safeguard cultural heritage and public safety.