Phillip Ihenacho, the Executive Director of the Museum of West African Art (MOWAA), has called for local financial support for the institution. He mentioned that despite raising $25 million primarily through international donations, numerous global stakeholders wish to witness greater Nigerian involvement and leadership in the museum’s operations.
During a dinner held in Lagos to honor MOWAA and the reintroduction of the Nigeria Pavilion at the 2024 Venice Biennale, he made these comments.
The dinner, organized by Ike Chioke—a member of the Development Board of MOWAA—and his spouse, Yvonne, functioned both as a celebratory event and a fundraiser aimed at supporting the upcoming launch of the MOWAA campus in Benin City, Edo State.
During his welcoming speech, Chioke, who works as an investment banker and promotes culture, emphasized the importance of safeguarding Nigeria’s cultural identity by actively investing in its legacy.
"One of the initiatives my spouse and I have backed is the Museum of West African Art," Chioke started addressing the MOWAA patrons, art collectors, and culture aficionados present at the event.
He went on, "This evening, we will discuss this topic with individuals who have a keen interest in the arts, cherish cultural values, and appreciate heritage and traditions. The institution isn’t merely a conventional museum; rather, it functions as an educational hub focused on engaging Nigerians with their own history and legacy. This initiative emerges during a period when global attention is increasingly turning towards Nigeria’s progress and various advancements."
In reflecting upon the organization's path since its founding in 2019, Chioke stated that "MOWAA has reached maturity," noting that one of several structures at their facility in Benin City is now functioning. He underscored the museum’s positioning in Benin—a city famous for its ancient bronze works—as a purposeful decision reflective of MOWAA’s overarching mission to establish cultural stewardship within an area intrinsically linked to Africa's rich legacy of artistic achievement.
He pointed out that this initiative isn't just about heritage, culture, and community; it also revolves around crafting identities and legacies.
Chioke mentions that there is an existing Capital Symphony, and since the institute is up and running, "We are seeking support from everyone passionate about art, individuals concerned with Nigeria’s heritage and cultural preservation, to aid us in promoting and backing this institution. It has turned into a symbol of telling our own narrative so that both adults and children can understand their origins and recognize how these roots influence who they are."
Echoing Chioke's sentiment, Ihenacho elaborated that the museum was established with an ethos focused on more than just restitution and memory; it also aimed at rejuvenation.
He stated, "Our intention was not to serve as a tribute to artwork created centuries past. The artisans who worked with bronze 600 years ago had successors prepared to restart their craft. We must glance towards the past merely to better navigate our future."
Ihenacho highlighted that the museum aims to empower a new wave of creators beyond just visual arts, extending its reach to include designers, musicians, and filmmakers through its wide-ranging goals.
He pointed out how views of the nation have evolved over the last 20 to 25 years. He explained that previously, talking about Nigeria often led to conversations centered around unfavorable encounters. However, nowadays, people react with appreciation, especially when it comes to Nigeria’s thriving sectors like its arts, culture, including music, cinema, and fashion.
Ihenacho proposed that this cultural impact will eventually outstrip oil and gas as the nation's key strength.
He highlighted that the museum intends to leverage this change by focusing on its active part in nurturing and displaying Nigeria’s cultural heritage instead of just maintaining a conventional, unchanging presence.
"The structure we will be relocating to in a few weeks is the biggest and most sophisticated collections and storage facility in Africa," he explained, detailing its rammed-earth construction and eco-friendly design that runs solely on solar power.
It stands as the sole museum certified by EDGE globally and rests above the biggest archaeological excavation site in Nigeria’s history.
Attracting nearby investors and art lovers, he stated, "It is crucial that even if you contribute only a small amount, every bit counts towards making this project successful since your funds will facilitate unlocking further capital. Therefore, I urge all of you to think about donating what you can."
MOWAA’s Director, Ore Disu, broadened the discussion to highlight upcoming engaging programs such as artist residency opportunities, conservation projects, and initiatives aimed at fostering knowledge creation.
"We are transitioning from developing a concept to bringing a campus to life," she stated, adding that MOWAA will soon welcome scholars, traditional artisans, and modern innovators to encourage vital discussions and cooperation.
Disu mentioned that MOWAA was created not just to conserve art but also to foster new creations rooted in profound cultural insight.
“She asked: What narratives have we yet to share? Which insights have been underappreciated? And how do we empower a fresh cohort of storytellers with the necessary framework, stage, and recognition they merit?”
Featuring an active campus, cutting-edge conservation amenities, and a focus on community engagement, MOWAA bridges the gap between safeguarding our legacy and fostering cultural advancement.
Disu elaborates, "Our voyage has begun. We possess the team, and now we seek additional fortresses to join us on this path."
Aindrea Emelife, the Curator at MOWAA, delivered an impassioned speech reflecting on her personal journey with the organization and the profound influence of the Nigeria Pavilion project, which was launched for the first time last year.
"There are certain concepts that come not as solutions, but as invitations," she explained, referring to 'The Nigeria Imaginary'—the exhibition's theme—not as an assertion enforced upon viewers, but rather as a query derived from Nigeria's shared essence.
Emelife characterized the pavilion as a place where different facets of Nigerian identity—“protests and poetry, quietness and clamor, traditional arts and modern ideas”—could coexist peacefully rather than clash.
She commended the pavilion’s artists—Fatima Tugar, Onyeka Igwe, Mika Shonibare, Toyin Oji Odetola, Tengienen Jones, and Miss DK—for producing pieces that question and redefine Nigerian stories.
Art isn't just ornamentation," she asserted, "it's a statement.
As they raised their wineglasses at the evening’s conclusion, with mellow jazz music softly playing in the backdrop, Chioke remarked, "MOWAA isn’t merely a museum; it represents our narrative, and now is the moment for us to share it."
Provided by Syndigate Media Inc. ( Syndigate.info ).