On August 16, 2025, the Sango Festival in Oyo State, Nigeria, received official recognition from UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. The Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism, and the Creative Economy, Barr. Hannatu Musa Musawa, presented the UNESCO World Heritage Certificate to His Imperial Majesty, Oba Abimbola Akeem Owoade, the Alaafin of Oyo, during the grand finale of the festival. 

The Sango Festival, held annually in August, commemorates Tella-Oko, the third Alaafin (king) of the Oyo Empire, who is believed to be the incarnation of the Yoruba deity of thunder and lightning, Sango. The ten-day celebration marks the beginning of the Yoruba traditional New Year and is deeply connected to the social, religious, cultural, and political institutions of Oyo State. The festival includes ancestral worship, chanting, storytelling, drumming, and dancing, and is a means of reconnecting with the ancestor, Sango. 

Minister Musawa highlighted that this recognition aligns with the federal government’s broader goals of cultural promotion, employment generation, wealth creation, and community empowerment. She emphasized that the inscription affirms Nigeria’s position on the global cultural stage and is a testament to the collaborative efforts between her Ministry and the Oyo community. 

In response, the Alaafin of Oyo expressed deep appreciation to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Ministry for their commitment to preserving Nigeria’s heritage. He pledged the kingdom’s continued support for national efforts to project Nigeria’s culture globally. 

The 2025 Sango Festival attracted dignitaries, cultural enthusiasts, and tourists from within and outside Nigeria, serving as a vibrant platform for the certificate presentation and reinforcing the festival’s status as a cultural treasure and a living expression of Yoruba history, spirituality, and resilience.