MOWAA Set for Official Opening in November with Inaugural Exhibition, Artist Council

Yinka Olatunbosun

The Museum of West African Art (MOWAA) is set for the official public opening of the first phase of its Campus and the Institute in Benin City, Nigeria on November 11, marking a significant moment in the evolution of cultural institutions on the African continent. As part of this landmark occasion, MOWAA also unveils the formation of its inaugural Artist Council. MOWAA will open its campus in Benin City with its inaugural exhibition – the anticipated return of the Nigerian Pavilion from its showcase at the 60th Venice Biennale, now enriched with four new artists embedded in Nigeria’s contemporary realities: Kelani Abass (b. 1979, Abeokuta, Nigeria), Modupeola Fadugba (b. 1985, Lomé, Togo), Ngozi-Omeje Ezema (b. 1979, Enugu, Nigeria), and Isaac Emokpae (b. 1977, Lagos, Nigeria) as well as artists in diaspora committed to shaping the future of artistic expression and institutional engagement across Africa and beyond.

Curated by Aindrea Emelife, the Nigeria Imaginary Homecoming exhibition will unfold across multiple spaces on the MOWAA Campus, and will open critical possibilities for dialogue and reflections on the state and possibilities of the nation. This exhibition closes on April 11, 2026.

The MOWAA Institute spans approximately 4,500 square meters (48,000 square feet) of state-of- the-art facilities for archaeological research, conservation, and public programmes, as well as one of the largest collections storage facilities on the continent. Following a dynamic programme of preview events, including exhibition tours, talks, workshops, and neighborhood activations, the launch will celebrate MOWAA’s five-year journey, showcasing its work in both preserving the region’s cultural and artistic past, while driving new contemporary practice.The opening of the Institute marks the first in a constellation of buildings which will form the MOWAA Campus in the heart of Benin City, Nigeria. The MOWAA Institute is the first campus building to open to the public; Nigeria Imaginary returns with four additional artists; the council expands MOWAA’s artist-centric outlook beyond museum walls.

Further spaces will include: The Rainforest Gallery (the main exhibition space), The Art Guesthouse (boutique hotel), The Artist Studios and The Artisans’ Hall (performance and event space). Situated within the emerging Benin City Cultural District, the full Campus is projected to reach completion by 2028, repositioning the city as a global cultural capital. At the core of MOWAA’s vision is a commitment to inspire the next generation of creatives, artists and cultural thought leaders in West Africa. The establishment of the Artist Council expands this mission beyond the museum’s walls, ensuring that the development and evolution of MOWAA’s flagship programming remains artist-led. Through critical dialogue that interrogates contemporary artistic and socio-political landscapes, Council members help shape a programme rooted in collective visioning and artistic rigour.

Council members were influential individuals selected for their involvement with institutions or cultural organizations across the continent – either as founders or advisors – opening pathways for collaboration with MOWAA through joint initiatives and special projects that encourage deeper engagement and shared impact. Confirmed council members include: Yinka Shonibare CBE RA (b. 1962, London, United Kingdom), G.A.S. Foundation; Michael Armitage (b. 1984, Nairobi, Kenya), Nairobi Contemporary Art Institute (NCAI); Victor Ehikhamenor (b. 1970 Lagos, Nigeria), Angels C Muse and Black Muse; Nengi Omuku (b.1987, Lagos, Nigeria), TAOH Africa; Dr. Odun Orimolade (Lagos, Nigeria), YABATECH; Kaloki Nyamai (b. 1985, Kitui, Kenya), Kamene Cultural and Research Centre.

The Council reflects MOWAA’s commitment to reimagining and asserting the primacy of African and diasporic cultural production on its own terms, while grounding urgent discourse in real spaces and active practice. Members will serve two-year terms, with the possibility of extension to support continuity and deeper engagement. Their role spans mentorship in education and residency programmes, and advising on exhibitions and research labs to ensure alignment with real-time artistic urgencies. As ambassadors, Council members will foster two-way exchanges across Africa and globally – championing African practice abroad while bringing fresh perspectives home.

The announcement of the opening of the Institute and the establishment of the Artist Council represents a milestone in the continuing expansion of West Africa’s cultural and artistic heritage – not only in preserving the past, but towards catalyzing the future. The director, MOWAA, Phillip Ihenacho explains the significance of the institution.

“Opening MOWAA during Nigeria’s art season allows us to situate this institution within a broader, ongoing conversation about art in and from Africa, and our Artist Council signals our commitment to supporting artists, thinkers, and publics in shaping how culture is produced, seen, and understood.”

Victor Ehikhamenor, Artist Council member, remarks: “Joining MOWAA’s Artist Council is both a responsibility and an honor. As artists, we are not just creators – we are custodians of memory, of community, of possibility. Too often, institutions are built around art without the artist’s voice as its foundation. MOWAA is reversing that. By centering artists in its structure, it offers a bold template for how museums can evolve – not only in West Africa, but globally. I look forward to contributing to a model where creativity, criticality, and care lead the way.”

Ore Disu, Director, MOWAA Institute, reflects on the lasting educational value that the museum offers.

“Sustainable progress in the arts requires more than individual brilliance – it demands long-term institutional thinking and action. MOWAA’s Artist Council embodies this approach, bolstering artistic practice with infrastructure and ensuring that those shaping culture help shape the systems that sustain it. MOWAA is committed to working with others to build a regenerative and interconnected creative ecosystem. Residencies, archives and arts education cannot thrive in isolation; they must be grounded in dialogue – between artistic experimentation, real world conditions and Africa’s deep historical knowledge systems.”

Nigerian-British artist and a collaborator with the museum, Yinka Shonibare CBE RA, praises the initiative for being an artist-led institution aimed at supporting African artists.
“MOWAA’s Artist Council plays an important role in ensuring that artists are not simply included in institutional narratives, but are instrumental in defining their frameworks and futures. That kind of inclusion is essential if we are to create sustainable systems of support for African artists. At the G.A.S. Foundation, we’ve seen how artist-led institutions can shift ecosystems from within. MOWAA is part of that growing momentum, fostering a more connected, future-facing cultural landscape across Africa and the Diaspora.”

Shonibare argues that the future of cultural practice must be written with artists, not for them. “This is not a ceremonial committee; it is an engine of collective authorship. Together, we will shape a museum that listens as deeply as it speaks – where creativity becomes civic leadership, radiating possibility beyond our walls. In this spirit, bringing Nigeria Imaginary home to MOWAA is a reclamation, not a relocation.”

With new artists, the Nigeria Imaginary surges forth as an urgent, generative force poised to dismantle worn paradigms, recompose histories and script new imaginaries for the nation.” — Aindrea Emelife, Curator of Modern & Contemporary Art, MOWAA

Michael Armitage, Artist Council Member, said: “I am delighted to be part of the MOWAA Artist Council as an artist and representative of Nairobi Contemporary Art Institute (NCAI). The impact of art institutions in Africa will depend upon our ability to work with other organizations across the continent. With this in mind, I look forward to developing the relationship between NCAI and MOWAA as we grow our community between Kenya and Nigeria and broaden the reach of art on the continent.

MOWAA has kicked off a multi-year lending partnership with the National Commission for Museums and Monuments (NCMM), an initiative aimed at showcasing exceptional Nigerian collections while advancing local conservation practice through targeted training and infrastructure investment. This collaboration sits alongside a growing number of private loans and donations to MOWAA, spanning from antiquities to modern works. Highlights will be featured in MOWAA’s first historical collections display, also open to the public from 11 November 2025. This groundbreaking display will mark the first time many of these significant works are on public view, offering visitors an unprecedented opportunity to engage up close with celebrated artworks, from Ife masterpieces to notable Tada bronzes.

MOWAA is proud to collaborate with the French Embassy in Nigeria on a dynamic cultural alliance aimed at advancing heritage preservation, professional training, and cross-cultural dialogue. With the generous support of the French Embassy, the partnership spans multiple impactful initiatives – including a robust archival training programme, which combines immersive learning in France with a practical consolidation phase in Benin City, bringing together leading Nigerian institutions such as CBAAC, NCMM, Yaba Art Museum, and CCA Lagos. It also includes the development of a mobile app that highlights the cultural landmarks of Lagos and Benin City, enhancing public engagement through technology. In addition, the partnership supports MOWAA’s public programming and international exchange efforts, enabling emerging artists and curators from Nigeria and abroad to connect through tours, workshops, and residency activities. Rooted in a shared belief in the power of culture to drive dialogue and innovation, this growing collaboration underscores the importance of international cooperation in shaping the future of African heritage.

The Museum of West African Art (MOWAA) is an independent non-profit institution dedicated to the preservation of heritage, expansion of knowledge and celebration of West African arts and culture. MOWAA was founded in 2020 as a catalyst for deepening connections between contemporary arts and the rich cultural heritage of West Africa, and as a centre of excellence creating opportunities for African and Diaspora artists and scholars.

MOWAA provides exceptional infrastructure and programmes for the preservation, display, research, learning and exchange in arts and culture from a world-class campus in the heart of the historic district of Benin City, Nigeria.

The MOWAA Campus comprises of multiple buildings and public designed as an ecosystem to nurture, inspire and showcase creatives, scholars and cultural practitioners, building connections between tradition and contemporary practices. The MOWAA Institute was designed by Adjaye Associates with Lagos-based architectural firm MOE+ as the local architect.