MOWAA To Be Part of Benin Cultural District – Director, Lists Benefits of Institute
3 min read
MOWAA To Be Part of Benin Cultural District – Director, Lists Benefits of Institute
By Adesuwa Louisa
The director of Museum of West African Art (MOWAA), Benin, Edo State, Ms. Ore Disu has assured that when fully operational, the budding institute will be a place to research and understand the past, empower and celebrate the next generation of culture makers.
Ms. Ore who spoke recently with journalists in Benin City during the official unveiling and preview of MOWAA explained that the institute is out to create something that gives Black and African people a sense of their place in the world and platforms to articulate what happens next.
Located within the sprawling premises of the former Central Hospital in downtown Ring Road, Benin City, she said that the museum will be a part of the planned Benin Cultural District alongside the National Museum, Benin and the Benin Royal Museum, adding:
“MOWAA Institute will support museums and cultural organisations in West Africa, right from the heart of Benin City. Our ambition is that MOWAA will become a site for ongoing research and a hub for training in archaeology, conservation, heritage management, and museum practice.”
Sounding upbeat, the director said that MOWAA was already delivering on its core mandate through a formal collaboration with the National Commission for Museums and Monuments (NCMM) including capacity building and support in the areas of archaeology, digital conservation and heritage management.
Ms. Ore noted that MOWAA Campus in Benin is an ecosystem to nurture, inspire, and showcase creatives and heritage professionals, building connections between ancient artistic traditions and the contemporary creative practices.
She said that without robust records and monuments, it will be difficult to visualise what Africa societies built, invented and achieved, stressing that no Akan (Ghanaian), Yoruba or Edo person should ever doubt the sophistication of their ancestors.
The director listed residences pairing local craftspeople, such as bronze casters, with contemporary artists as part of initiative aimed at revitalizing artisanal crafts by reconnecting them with historical artifacts and contemporary West African artists, noting that the institute is an intellectual and cultural monument for the region, putting MOWAA at the forefront of current African museum practice.
She remarked that MOWAA planned to use digital technology to create a virtual collection of West African artifacts, a public access digital heritage library focusing on the history of West Africa, and a full digital mapping of ancient Benin, as examples.
She observed that the event brought together MOWAA’s current donors and partners, which included the NCMM, the German Foreign Office, US-based Mellon Foundation, and other corporate leaders, international artists, and local cultural practitioners.
Also speaking, the Director-General, NCMM, Mr. Olugbile Holloway explained that MOWAA has, no doubt, raised the bar, assuring that anything the commission does at the federal level must match and tie into the vision of MOWAA.
Mr. Holloway said: “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.”
On his part, the Consul General, Federal Republic of Germany, Mr. Weert Boerner said that he was clearly impressed with the modern institute building featuring unique African architecture and design, as well as cutting-edge technology that is partially installed and will be installed soon”
The diplomat declared: “On behalf of the German Government, I am pleased to say that we are proud to be a part of this project, through financial support from the German Foreign Office for the construction and operation of this ‘museum in the making’ over the last two years.”
