EMOWAA Pavilion For Arts in City of Arts ARTS

about himself as it is about EMOWAA, it is almost impossible to write about such a grand project without a word or two about one of the brains behind it. Born in Lagos of Igbo parentage from Imo state, Iheanacho grew up in Jos. One question people frequently ask about his involvement in EMOWAA is how come he is neck-deep in the project since he is not Edo. Of course, Iheanacho cleared the air on that at the informal meeting with journalists last week in Lagos, as he has done severally at different occasions elsewhere. Having connections with the east, north and west, Iheanacho sees himself as a complete Nigerian. But beyond that is his fascination with EMOWAA and what he hopes to live behind for posterity, what he hopes to achieve with it.

“You get to a stage in life when you get older that you begin to ask questions not so much about what you are doing to make a living, not so much about what you are doing for your children,” sort of putting down all else in place of commitment to a cause, “but what do you want to do to give back and what you want to do and be remembered for?”

To make project EMOWAA see the light of day, Iheanacho knew exactly what to do and where to go. Meet and consult with stakeholders in Benin, starting with Governor Godwin Obaseki who was quite enthusiastic about EMOWAA and even showed a keener interest in making Edo state the cultural capital of the West African sub-region.

The royal palace in Benin was also consulted as with the National Commission for Museums and Monuments, all of them indicating their interest to be part of the most ambitious cultural project in Nigeria once it starts to run.

“EMOWAA is a guest in the Bini Kingdom and is grateful to His Royal Majesty Oba Ewuare II,” a source from the project admitted. “Our explicit goal is to support and work with cultural institutions in Edo state and beyond, including the coming Royal Benin Museum to facilitate a thriving creative hub and tourism destination in Edo state.”

EMOWAA is an independent NGO but also “interrelated with other relevant bodies,” Iheanacho reemphasized to the newsmen, insisting that “for a museum infrastructure to work, you need to get to a critical mass. A place like Benin City which has a deep history, if it is to become a centre for culture, it needs to have multiple museums, multiple places that will be complimenting one another so that when visitors come, they come to see multiple things. Our idea is that we will focus on West African modern and contemporary art.”

More important is to work together “to reestablish Benin City as a cultural capital. It is not about one or the other. It is about cross-connecting and working together.”

For now, everything seems to be going swimmingly for the EMOWAA Pavilion in Benin City and those behind it. Designed by world renowned, awardwinning architect, Sir Dave Adjae, the edifice stands proudly on 38, 000 square feet of interior space, complete with an exhibition gallery with views into the collection study area, 180-seater auditorium, conference rooms, conservation labs and a library. Of course, as such grand projects go, the landscaped exterior will be useful for informal gatherings and curated outdoor programmes.

All that, without doubt, is sure to change the cultural landscape of a city with a well fostered reputation as a place where artists thrived, spawning generations of bronze sculptors and wood carvers in the process. But then the British came around the turn of the 19th century, ransacked the city and depleted much of the art works which they took back to Europe. Many of those, in turn, found their way to museums and private collectors in the continent.

If all goes well as planned by the board and management of EMOWAA, visitors from the West African sub-region and the rest of the world will have the opportunity to stroll through the pavilion from June next year, revel in a sculptural piece from Nok or Ife, for instance, a figurine or sculpted mask from Senegal or the Gambia by indigenous artists as late as the 15th century down to contemporary art works in line with EMOWAA’s overall objective

Now, the same works of arts looted centuries ago are gradually finding their way back from whence they were purloined. It is a good thing for the Nigerian and Edo state government but particularly so for the royal palace in Benin where some of the works were stolen from in the first place. As Iheanacho stated last week in Lagos, EMOWAA isn’t about stocking up on returned arts works from Europe or anywhere else for that matter.

What’s more? The board of EMOWAA boasts some of the best and brightest minds among its ranks. Apart from Sir Dave the world renowned architect, there is HRH Prince Ezelekhae Ewuare Crown Prince of Benin Kingdom, Victor Ehikhamenor, a Nigerian artist, writer and photographer, Babatunde Adebiyi, representative of NCMM, Prince Babatunde Obaitan, Commissioner for Diasporan Affairs, Arts Culture and Tourism in Edo state as well as Dr. Myma Bello-Osagie, lawyer and managing partner of Udo-Udoma & Bello Osagie. All of them are trustees of the board of EMOWAA.

Partners in the EMOWAA project range from such reputable institutions as the British Museum to Oxford University and AG Leventis Foundations. NCMM and Deutsche Archaeologische Institute of Germany are also lending their support fully.

If all goes well as planned by the board and management of EMOWAA, visitors from the West African sub-region and the rest of the world will have the opportunity to stroll through the pavilion from June next year, revel in a sculptural piece from Nok or Ife, fsay a figurine or sculpted mask from Senegal or T he Gambia by indigenous artists as late as the 15th century down to contemporary art works in line with EMOWAA’s overall objective.

“Our ambition is to create a world-class collections facility and establish a centre of excellence for archeological science, conservation and museum practice in West Africa. The EMOWAA Pavilion will be a space for learning and (re)connection – a gateway between the sophistication of our shared past and the dynamism of our possible future.”