Protesters Disrupt Benin City Museum Preview, Delay Opening

Protesters disrupted a preview event at the Museum of West African Art in Benin City, Nigeria, on Sunday evening, forcing the postponement of its scheduled public opening and highlighting ongoing tensions over the region's cultural heritage.

The incident occurred during a soft opening attended by donors, artists, international guests and local figures at the multimillion-dollar facility, which was set to officially launch on Tuesday. Videos shared online showed more than a dozen young demonstrators rushing the museum grounds, chanting slogans in support of Oba Ewuare II, the traditional ruler of the Benin Kingdom. The group asserted that the museum's operations infringe on the Oba's authority as custodian of Edo cultural patrimony. Security personnel quickly evacuated guests, including foreigners, to safety, with police restoring order after about two hours. No injuries were reported, though minor damage was caused to the reception pavilion and front exhibition area.

Phillip Ihenacho, the museum's director, described the events to reporters, saying the protesters entered and began vandalizing part of the reception pavilion, where we receive visitors, then they stormed inside the...