THE BIRTH OF A RENAISSANCE

Identity speaks to Sir David Adjaye about his new proposal for the Edo Museum of West African Art and what it means for the continent at large

- AIDAN IMANOVA

Adjacent to the Royal Palace of the Oba in the centre of Benin City is a site that will house the new Edo Museum of West African Art (EMOWAA), designed by Adjaye Associates, a practice led by Ghanaian-British architect, Sir David Adjaye. Developed by the Legacy Restoration Trust (LRT), the ambitious architectural endeavour is also associated with an archeological initiative being developed by LRT in partnership with the British Museum as well as other partners in Nigeria, and Adjaye Associates. The project aims to investigate the archaeology of the ancient Kingdom of Benin – in modern-day Nigeria – the remnants of which are buried below the proposed site of the new museum, including what is believed to be preserved buildings and traces of elaborate pavements made of pottery fragments that were revealed during test excavations in the 1950s and ‘60s.

Excavation works will take place prior to the construction of the museum and will continue for a period of five years. The project is developed with the approval of the Benin Royal Court and the Edo State Government, and in partnership with the National Commission for Museums and Monuments as well as a range of partners from local communities.