In conjunction with the opening, MOWAA also unveils the formation of its inaugural Artist Council, a collective of leading contemporary African and diasporic artists. This dynamic group is dedicated to influencing the future of artistic expression and deepening institutional engagement across Africa and the global art community.
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).
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.
Council members were 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 & 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 Center.
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.
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. – Phillip Ihenacho, Director, MOWAA
Victor Ehikhamenor, Artist Council member, commented:
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.
“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.”; — Ore Disu, Director, MOWAA Institute
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.”; — Yinka Shonibare CBE RA
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 2025 News
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.
