Nigeria Pays Tribute to Kasali Akangbe Ogun: A Legacy Carved in Wood

Tue Jan 20 2026 23:29:07 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

The art world mourns the passing of Kasali Akangbe Ogun, a master wood carver from Nigeria, revered for his unique contributions to the New Sacred Art Movement and cultural preservation.

Kasali Akangbe Ogun, a renowned master wood carver from Nigeria, has passed away, marking the end of an era in wooden artistry and cultural preservation. His legacy is deeply connected to the New Sacred Art Movement and the Osun Forest, where his works adorned shrines dedicated to Yoruba deities. Akangbe Ogun's craftsmanship and dedication to preserving the Yoruba cultural heritage have left an indelible mark on both local and international art communities.

Nigeria Pays Tribute to Kasali Akangbe Ogun: A Legacy Carved in Wood

Renowned Nigerian master wood carver Kasali Akangbe Ogun has been buried following his death last week after a brief illness.

He came from a long line of wood carvers from the Yoruba people, and took the tradition from his birthplace of Osogbo in the country's south-west to the global art space.

Akangbe Ogun was famous for his unique artistic style, characterized by lean, elongated faces and dynamic, flowing forms, noted Nigerian art patron Olufemi Akinsanya.

He was one of the leading lights of the New Sacred Art Movement, founded by the late Austrian-Nigerian artist and Yoruba priestess, Susanne Wenger, in the 1960s, to help protect the 75-hectare Osun Forest and its river.

The grove, on the outskirts of Osogbo city, was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2005 for its cultural significance in the cosmology of the Yoruba, and as the largest protected high primary forest in the region.

Regarded as the abode of the goddess of fertility Osun, one of the pantheon of Yoruba gods, the landscape of the grove and its meandering river is dotted with sanctuaries and shrines, sculptures and artworks in honour of Osun and other deities.

Works from the New Sacred Art Movement are currently on show in the landmark Nigerian Modernism exhibition at Tate Modern. Akangbe Ogun's art stands as a testament to a life committed to faith, community, and visual poetry, according to exhibition curator Osei Bonsu.

Despite his fame, Kasali Akangbe Ogun led a simple life, focused on preserving the traditional Yoruba way of living. His legacy is carried on through his children, who have inherited his craftsmanship, ensuring that his work and influence will endure for generations.