By Henry Akubuiro
In Nigeria and Africa, Benin City has long been associated with a rich cultural heritage and spellbinding art. Contemporary Benin City emerged from the ancient Kingdom of Benin or Edo Empire, which held sway between 1440–1897. Legendary for its cast bronze and carved ivory with religious and ceremonial significance, these artworks dot Western museums mostly looted during colonialism.But the tradition and legacy have continued to flourish to this day.
Right from the days of yore, Benin has won renown for its unique dress exemplified in its intrinsic beads, bangles and anklets, which give local couture a stamp of royalty, a source of pride. One of its most popular festivals is the annual Igue Festival (King’s Festival), which began in the 14th century during the reign of Oba Ewuare I (1440 and 1473). It is characterised with pomp and the ritual season is celebrated for seven days.
Replete with ancient landmarks, from the Royal Palace of the Oba of Benin, built by Oba Ewedo (1255AD – 1280AD); the Chief Ogiamien Ancient Palace building, located at No. 97 Sokponba Road; the Benin Moat, the largest man-made earthworks in Africa; Igun-Eronmwon quarters, known as the centre of bronze casting, to mention a few cynosures, Benin is one of Nigeria’s major claims to cultural ingenuity and historical grandeur.
Compared with Egypt, whose ancient civilisation, monuments and museums have made it the epicentre of tourism in Africa and a beehive for global researchers, Benin is yet to attain a full plumage as a tourist destination deserving of its importance in global civilisation. Since August, 1973, when the Benin City National Museum was opened to the public, it has showcased some priceless objects of antiquities from the ancient Benin Kingdom and other indigenous artefacts from different parts of Nigeria, yet it dwarfs by comparison to some of the best the world has to offer.
Enter MOWAA (Museum of West African Arts). Located in Benin City in a sprawling expanse of land and constructed with a minimalist touch, the museum is Nigeria’s answer to a modern museum with a bonus. The massive single story edifice sits on approximately 4,000 square metres or 43,000 square feet of highly sustainable interior space for state-of-the-art facilities. The building comes with an atrium exhibition gallery with views into the collection study area, a 100-seat auditorium, conference rooms, conservation library, and an outdoor amphitheatre. Set within the ancient Benin moat, the rammed earth construction links the building to the West African heritage that will be celebrated by MOWAA via its campus. The MOWAA Institute building serves as a model for the care and preservation of the many other mud-wall structures in Benin City. Designed by Adjaye Associates, the building is carefully built to meet global standards of sustainability.
MOWAA is focused on delivering four other key projects, including the digital lab located within the institute, intended to assist MOWAA’s creative and research community unlock the possibilities of digital technologies to advance the heritage economy, education, and creative industries. Archeological research, heritage restoration and management are among the key focuses of MOWAA. Of course, it is based on the historic sites of Benin City. According to the founders of MOWAA, the programmes of the museum will connect to global audiences that will include Nigerians, Africans and other black communities worldwide. Apart from advancing the field of academic research in contemporary and modern West African Art, MOWAA has a campus that offers a rich experience for local and international visitors, a professional work environment for academics, artists and heritage management specialists.
MOWAA, which is owned and operated by an independent board of directors, recently held its first preview outing at the purpose-built structure – the MOWAA Institute – a two-day event on November 4-5, 2024, aimed at sparking critical conversations about the future of museum practice in West Africa.
Denizens of arts and culture present on the occasion engaged with eggheads, including Prof. Chika Okeke-Agulu, Robert Schirmer, Professors of Art & Archaeology and African American Studies at Princeton University respectively, and Prof. Shadreck Chirikure, Edward Hall Professor of Archaeological Science and Director of the Research Laboratory for Archaeology and the History of Art at Oxford University, among other intellectuals and cultural aficionados.
Participants, including journalists from major media houses in the country, were guided around the vast MOWAA Campus and Institute. They also witnessed participatory workshops on traditional pottery and rammed earth building, plus thrilling performances by local and international artists.
During the tour of the Museum, the Director of MOWAA Institute, Ore Disu, said the institute would provide quality leadership in art and archeology in West Africa, while offering the best of heritage and art conservation practices and facilities, stressing, “The beautiful and strong walls are built with local earth and you can feel the cool temperature inside here. It tells you that we are big on sustainability and preservation of our heritage.”
The robust discussions by the select group of guests dwelled on themes, such as Defining a “West African” Museum in the Twenty-first Century; The Changing Role of Arts Organisations in Urban Transformation and Sustainable Development; How Archaeological Technologies Might Challenge Misconceptions about Africa’s Past; Significance of African Leadership in Cultural Preservation and the Ethics of Restitution.
The two-day event also brought together MOWAA’s current donours and partners, such as the National Commission for Museums and Monuments (NCMM), the German Foreign Office, US-based Mellon Foundation, and other corporate leaders, international artists, and local cultural practitioners. Among others, it was a befitting recognition for those working in concert to crystallise MOWAA’s vision to life and also to woo potential supporters to work with MOWAA to reinvent African art and history.
MOWAA Institute’s Director, Ore Disu, stated, from the word go, she was determined to create something that would give blacks and Africans a sense of their place in the world. Without robust records and monuments, Disu said it could be hard to visualise what African societies built, invented and achieved, thus, “No Akan, Yoruba or Edo person should ever doubt the sophistication of their ancestors.” Also speaking at the event, the Director-General, NCMM, Olugbile Holloway, noted: “The world is watching, and what we do here serves as a model for what we are capable of as Nigerians and Africans alike. I want everyone to know that NCMM has seen this, and it is a challenge for us. This has raised the bar.”
Consul General, Federal Republic of Germany, Weert Boerner, said he was impressed by “this modern Institute building featuring unique African architecture and design, as well as cutting-edge technology that is partially installed and will be installed soon, and we are excited about the launch of its inaugural exhibition next year.”