SANGO
The bronze statue of Sango, the Yorùbá god of thunder and lightning is one of the works of Benedict Nwonwu (1921 – 1994).
It is a 14ft bronze sculpture produced in 1964. The Bronze statue is outside the Lagos Headquarters of Eko Electric Distribution Company in Marina, Lagos.
Historically, Sango was the fourth Alaafin of the Old Oyo Empire who was feared, and believed to emit fire from his mouth when he spoke.
The Sango Bronze Statue symbolizes power and energy, just like the energy and vigour the ancient Alaafin of Oyo had during his time as king and a warrior who morphed into a god among the Yorubas.
When Ben Nwonwu was commissioned to create artistic works for public buildings in Nigeria, he produced Sango for the then Electricity Corporation of Nigeria (ECN) in Marina. It has remained one of the most famous public landmarks in Nigeria.
In the 60s and 70s, the sculpture of Sango standing, holding its insignia, graced postcards, calendars and became one of Nigeria’s tourist attraction to both local and international visitors.
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