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A clutch ofMOWAAMOWAA MOWAA DJ MOWAA Your browser does not support the element. artists, curators and enthusiasts is welcomed by drummers, dancers and an unforgiving bout of sunshine amid cranes and scaffolding. The burgeoning, clay-coloured edifice with its earthen finish designed by David Adjaye, a knighted Ghanaian-Brit, is to house the Museum of West African Art (), a new hub for arts and culture in Nigeria’s historic Benin City. A jamboree of talks and workshops is more a proof-of-concept than a full-blown opening. Yet already stands shoulders above most other Nigerian museums, where many valuable artefacts are shut away in old warehouses.In 1897 most of Benin City, then the capital of an extensive kingdom, was razed by the British. Their trove of looted plaques and sculptures—some of the finest art in Africa—ended up in museums all over the world.A common argument against restoring this treasure to its original home is that Nigeria has nowhere to keep it safe and on permanent view for locals. is Nigeria’s riposte: a top-class museum on the edge of the royal palace’s compound to be managed by experts from home and abroad. “You’ve got to be very careful not to build something that is simply mimicking museums in the West,” says Philip Ihenacho, the director. For a start, the museum wants to avoid old squabbles between the government of Edo state, which includes Benin City, and the royal family, who once owned the bronzes. So it is to be run by an independent trust. About half of the museum’s $50m budgeted cost has so far been met by a group of local and foreign institutional donors, including the British Museum, which, however, has refused to give back the many Benin bronzes in its vaults. The preview featured architects, photojournalists, curators and even a:all could find a home here. Lagos, Nigeria’s commercial capital, has long thrived as a hub for the arts, with international fairs like ArtXLagos showcasing exhibitions and fashion. could link up: Benin City is but a flight hop away. West Africa, says Mr Ihenacho, is “a cauldron of creativity”.
