Protesters Disrupt Grand Opening of Nigeria's Museum of West African Art

Mon Nov 10 2025 02:47:24 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

Protests erupted at the Museum of West African Art in Benin City, Nigeria, as activists confronted foreign visitors, forcing a cancellation of preview events ahead of the museum's grand opening.

Protesters stormed Nigeria's newly established Museum of West African Art (Mowaa), leading to the cancellation of a preview event. The demonstrators expressed their frustration over unresolved disputes regarding the Benin Bronzes, a collection of looted artefacts that the museum was intended to house. As tensions rose, guests were safely escorted away, and the museum issued an apology for the incident. The dispute reflects broader concerns about local governance and control over cultural heritage.

Protesters targeted a new multi-million dollar museum in Nigeria and forced organisers to halt a preview event ahead of Tuesday's grand opening.

Videos showed a group insulting foreign guests and ordering them to leave after entering the grounds of the Museum of West African Art (Mowaa) in Benin City on Sunday.

The museum in Edo state was conceived partly to be a home for the Benin Bronzes - artefacts looted by British soldiers in the 19th Century. The campus includes state-of-the-art preservation and restoration facilities.

However, a bitter dispute over the control of these prized artworks has resulted in their absence from the museum, which has angered protesters.

All guests were safely escorted to secure locations, according to a statement from the museum.

We sincerely apologise for any inconvenience this situation may have caused, Mowaa stated.

A local resident told the BBC that the frustration arises from what many perceive as a hijacking of an Edo project. The Benin Oba [king], traditional rulers and the government of Edo are not happy about it, the resident added.

Originally, Edo was included in the museum's name, but it was later dropped at the request of backers who wanted the museum to serve a wider purpose beyond Nigeria's borders.

Mowaa indicated that the protest appeared to be born out of disputes between the previous and current state administrations. The museum reiterated its independence as a non-profit organisation.

Following the protests, Mowaa has cancelled all preview events leading up to the opening and advised visitors to avoid the campus until the situation is resolved.

We are deeply grateful to all our guests - many of whom travelled long distances to be here - for their understanding, patience and resilience. We sincerely apologise for any inconvenience this situation may have caused, the statement read.