Makinde Receives UNESCO Certificate Recognizing Sango Festival as Cultural Heritage

Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has officially received the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage Certificate recognizing the Sango Festival in Oyo as part of humanity’s cultural legacy.
This was disclosed in a statement issued on Tuesday by the Governor’s Special Adviser on Media, Dr. Sulaimon Olanrewaju.
The certificate presentation followed the successful inclusion of the Sango Festival in UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. This inscription was made possible through a proposal submitted by Nigeria.
The Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism, and Creative Economy, Barrister Hannatu Musa Musawa, had earlier presented the certificate to the Oyo State Government during the grand finale of the 2025 World Sango Festival held on Saturday, August 16, in Oyo town.
Receiving the certificate on behalf of the state, Oyo State Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Dr. Wasiu Olatubosun, formally presented it to Governor Makinde during the Oyo State Executive Council meeting held on Tuesday, August 19, 2025.
While handing over the certificate, Dr. Olatubosun commended the governor for his unwavering support for cultural and tourism development, noting that his administration’s commitment played a crucial role in elevating the Sango Festival to an international status.
He recalled that since the UNESCO inscription on December 5, 2023, Oyo State hosted the maiden edition of the World Sango Festival in August 2024, which drew global participation. He added that the 2025 edition, which just concluded, surpassed the previous year in scale and attendance.
In his response, Governor Makinde expressed gratitude to the commissioner and his team for their dedication, stating that their hard work led to the festival's recognition by UNESCO.