MOWAA Institute Open In Edo To Support Museums, Cultural Organisations In West Africa
By Simeon OSAJIE
The Museum of West African Art (MOWAA) Institute today open in Benin City, Edo State capital with it aims to support museums and cultural organisations in West Africa, as well as serve as an intellectual and cultural monument for the region, putting MOWAA at the forefront of current African museum practice.
Speaking in Benin during the Museum of West African Art (MOWAA) preview event of its first purpose-built building, the MOWAA Institute Nestled in the centre of Benin City, Ore Disu, MOWAA Institute’s Director, said the Institute is an intellectual and cultural monument for the region, putting MOWAA at the forefront of current African museum practice.
Ore said the event was aimed at sparking critical conversations about the future of museum practice in West Africa.
According to MOWAA Institute’s Director, the event brought together MOWAA’s current donors and partners, which included 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. It was an opportunity to recognize the accomplishments of people who have played critical roles in bringing MOWAA’s vision to life, as well as to offer an invitation to potential supporters who share MOWAA’s passion for reinventing African art and history.
Speaking to audiences at the preview, Ore Disu, MOWAA Institute’s Director, said: “One of my first priorities would be to establish conservation and collections management practices that respond to our tropical climate, designed as practical and shareable protocols.
“If we truly want to support other museums and existing collections which we do, we have to get the fundamentals right. The reality is that there are limited grants for African research and educational institutions. Our focus will be to develop professionals with marketable skills beyond pure research while expanding African-led scholarship.”
According to her, the MOWAA Campus is an ecosystem to nurture, inspire, and showcase creatives and heritage professionals, building connections between ancient artistic traditions and the contemporary creative practices.
Ore added that the institute will be a place to research and understand the past and empower and celebrate the next generation of culture makers, just as she explained that the campus will be made up of several spaces.
While maintaining that MOWAA is honoured to be a part of the planned Benin Cultural District alongside the National Museum and the Benin Royal Museum, Ore added that, “Once open, 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.
“We already delivering on this, via our formal collaboration with NCMM, which includes capacity building and support in the areas of archaeology, digital conservation, and heritage management,” she said.
