The sculpture, titled Osè Wura Otito – Golden Axe of Truth – will be installed at Brazil’s Supreme Federal Court in Brasília, marking an important recognition of African heritage, ancestral knowledge and cultural contributions to Brazilian society.
Brazil’s Supreme Federal Court (STF), in Brasília, is scheduled to receive a sculpture representing the Ose of Ṣàngó, a symbol associated with justice in Yorùbá tradition. The installation ceremony is scheduled for November 17, 2026, as part of the country’s Black Consciousness Week celebrations, with the participation of the President of the Supreme Court, Justice Edson Fachin.
The initiative represents a significant moment in the recognition of African heritage within Brazil’s public institutions, particularly in light of the historical contributions of African peoples and their descendants to the country’s social, cultural and intellectual development.
The Ose , known in Yorùbá tradition as ọ̀ṣé, is traditionally represented by a double-headed axe and is closely associated with Ṣàngó, known in Brazil as Xangô, one of the important Òrìṣà within the Yorùbá spiritual and cultural universe.
In Yorùbá tradition, Ṣàngó is associated with justice, authority, truth, balance and responsibility in the exercise of power. His double-headed axe represents his authority and the importance of fairness, equilibrium and integrity.
The presence of this ancestral symbol at Brazil’s highest court establishes a connection between African knowledge systems and contemporary principles of justice, equality and cultural diversity.
The sculpture is titled Osè Wura Otito, translated as Golden Axe of Truth. Created by Brazilian artist Rodrigo Sampaio de Siqueira, the artwork measures 64 centimetres in height. Made of wood, the sculpture features copper and gold leaf applications, alongside decorative elements including beads, coral and cowrie shells.
The artwork was donated by the Institute for the Defence of the Rights of Afro-Brazilian Religions (Instituto de Defesa dos Direitos das Religiões Afro-Brasileiras – Idafro) and will become part of the museum collection of Brazil’s Supreme Federal Court.
The choice of materials and decorative elements also reflects the rich artistic traditions of African cultures, in which objects frequently carry historical, symbolic, cultural and ancestral meanings. The initiative is the result of an institutional effort led by Idafro, in dialogue with religious and cultural leaders and representatives from different regions of Brazil.
The formal request for the installation was submitted in February 2025, during the presidency of Justice Luís Roberto Barroso. The proposal emerged amid discussions concerning the presence of religious symbols in public buildings and the need to guarantee equal treatment for the different cultural and religious traditions represented in Brazilian society.
Among the leaders who supported the initiative are Ekedy Sinha, of Casa Branca do Engenho Velho, in Salvador; Makota Celinha, of the National Centre for Africanity and Afro Resistance (CENARAB), in Belo Horizonte; and Cláudia Alexandre, researcher and priestess. According to Hédio Silva Jr., executive coordinator of Idafro, the installation represents progress for Brazilian democracy and the recognition of the country’s cultural and religious diversity.
The presence of the African symbol in the Supreme Court is also regarded as a statement in favour of pluralism, diversity and the recognition of different cultural perspectives. The installation of the Oxê of Ṣàngó at the Supreme Federal Court carries particular historical significance when viewed against the background of the experiences of Black people in Brazil.
For centuries, African traditions have faced persecution, discrimination and institutional marginalisation. Their symbols, knowledge systems, artistic expressions and ancestral practices have frequently been devalued, despite their fundamental contributions to the formation of Brazilian identity.
In this context, incorporating a symbol from Yorùbá tradition into the collection of one of Brazil’s most important state institutions represents an expansion of African historical memory within the country’s centres of power.
The initiative also contributes to ongoing discussions about institutional racism, racial equality, religious freedom and the protection of fundamental rights. Justice should not be understood merely as an abstract legal principle. It is also a value that exists across different civilisations, knowledge systems and cultural traditions.
The Yorùbá tradition possesses its own principles of justice, responsibility, balance and authority, transmitted through ancestral knowledge, narratives, symbols and cultural practices. The presence of the Ose of Ṣàngó at Brazil’s Supreme Federal Court therefore creates an opportunity to expand dialogue between these ancestral principles and contemporary institutions.
The initiative reinforces the importance of recognising that the history of justice and civilisation in Brazil also carries the intellectual, cultural and ancestral contributions of African peoples.
Ṣàngó is one of the most celebrated figures in Yorùbá history, mythology and ancestral spirituality, is revered as the Òrìṣà of thunder, lightning, fire, power, justice and royal authority. His origins are deeply connected to the ancient Ọ̀yọ́ Empire in present-day southwestern Nigeria, where he is remembered as a former Aláàfin (king) of Ọ̀yọ́ who, according to Yorùbá oral traditions, was transformed into a divinity following his departure from the earthly world.
As a historical and mythological figure, Ṣàngó occupies a unique position in Yorùbá civilisation. His spiritual identity is represented by the double-headed axe (Ọ̀ṣé Ṣàngó), the Ṣẹ̀rẹ̀, fire, thunder and the powerful rhythms of the Bàtá drums. His legacy represents authority, courage, justice, strength and the consequences of abusing power.
From Nigeria, the veneration of Ṣàngó travelled across the Atlantic through the forced migration of enslaved Africans, particularly Yorùbá people. His worship and cultural heritage survived and developed in Brazil, Cuba, Trinidad and Tobago, Haiti, the United States and other parts of the Caribbean, South America, Europe and beyond.
Today, Ṣàngó is honoured in more than 40 countries through traditional worship, cultural festivals, ancestral ceremonies, music, dance and international cultural exchanges. A 2024 report by BusinessDay, quoting the Cultural Ambassador to the Alaafin, Paula Gomez, stated that the Ṣàngó Festival had become celebrated in 42 countries worldwide.
The historical and spiritual centre of Ṣàngó’s royal heritage, however, remains Ọ̀yọ́, Nigeria. The Aláàfin of Ọ̀yọ́ occupies a unique position as the traditional custodian of the royal institution and the ancestral heritage associated with Ṣàngó.
In contemporary Yorùbá traditional understanding, the Aláàfin represents the living royal continuity of the Ọ̀yọ́ throne connected to Ṣàngó’s earthly history. The present Aláàfin is His Imperial Majesty, Kabiyesi Oba Abimbola Akeem Owoade I, the 46th Aláàfin of Ọ̀yọ́, Nigeria.
It is therefore important to recognise that while Ṣàngó is venerated internationally as an Òrìṣà, Ọ̀yọ́ remains the historic royal home of his earthly legacy, with the Aláàfin serving as one of its most important living traditional authorities.
In 2023, UNESCO inscribed the Ṣàngó Festival of Ọ̀yọ́ on its Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, recognising the importance of this ancestral tradition and its transmission across generations. Ṣàngó is more than a divinity of thunder and lightning; he is an enduring symbol of Yorùbá civilisation, kingship, ancestral identity and the global survival of African cultural heritage.
