Orisa sango is powerful deity in the yoruba culture that is associated wifh thunder and fire. The sango deity is known for the red and white cloth and is usually worshipped on the 5th day of the week which is referred as the Jakuta day (Ojo Jakuta). The Sango is known to always stand on mortars and summon thunders with his axe. The deity is also called Elegun or Jakuta and the double-headed axe means swift justice and balance.

The Sango deity is worshipped by the descendants of the Sango and its believers. Descendants of the sango are usually refered with sango in their names. Example of sango's names are Sangomuyiwa, Sangofunke, Sangobunmi and many others. Sango is said to be very brave, confident and masculine and most people fear him alot.

History of Sango

History made it cleared that Sango is the son of Obatala and Aganju, Obatala is known for always wearing white cloth and it is said that Obatala was going on a trip and he has to cross a river which Aganju who is known as a firelord does not allow Obatala to pass, Obatala was angry and turned Aganju into a woman whom he married. The foundation of Sango begins with his parent and it is said that Sango later went to search for Aganju in which he has to throw himself into a lake of fire.

Sango was the fourth king of the Oyo empire and it was claimed that he succeeded the som of oranmiyan which is Ajaka. The Oyo empire always receive constant threat in the reign of the Alaafin Ajaka. Most of this treats comes from the olowu of owu which is a cousin of the Alaafin Ajaka. After sending constant threats to Ajaka, the Olowu sent his warriors to capture Ajaka and bring him to Olowu. To rescue Ajaka from Olowu, the Oyomesi called upon Sango.

Sango defeated the warriors of Olowu and rescued Ajaka from the Olowu. After the rescue, Sango was crowned the king (Alaafin) and Ajaka was decrowned. During Sango's reign as a king, he has two generals which are Gbonka and Timi Agbaale which is usually refered to as the olofa Ina.

Sango has 3 wives which oya is among, seeing how powerful Gbonka and Timi Agbaale are, Oya advised Sango to get rid of them so they won't later betray Sango, she asked Sango to send them to govern other border towns. Timi Agbaale went to Ede but Gbonka didn't leave the Oyo empire. Sango was angry and sent Gbonka to capture Timi so he can destroy the both of them.

Gbonka left for Ede and came back to Oyo empire without capturing Timi, Sango believed that the fight was staged and he asked for a rematch in the Oyo empire. Gbonka defeated Timi and Sango asked to burn Gbonka to ashes so he can achieve his aim of getting rid of the both of them. Gbonka gets to know that Sango only wants him dead and he went back to Sango after 3 days telling him to leave the throne.

Sango was angry and requested for his Edun Ara from Oya and he found out that the Edun Ara has been stained with menstrual bloods. After founding out that the Edun Ara is stained with blood, he went he to a very high hill to test the potency of the Edun Ara. The thunder generated by the Edun Ara struck up the palace of Sango and burn it into ashes because the hill is facing the palace.

Sango was heartbroken with the situation and he left the Oyo empire and some of the chiefs begged Sango not to leave, after many persuasion the chiefs went back into the town and only a chief named Baba mogba didn't leave sango. Sango was attacked on his way by Gbonka, Sango was very angry and he vanished into the air and appear in the sky with fire in his mouth and wrath which he used to defeat Gbonka.

The people of Oyo empire thought that Sango went to hang himself but Baba mogba who followed Sango reveal the truth and people of the Oyo kingdom started referring sango as Obakoso or Olukoso. After a long time of not seeing Sango, the people of Oyo believed that he went on to become an orisa and they started worshiping him.

How is the Sango deity worshipped 

Sango is known for his abilities to breathe fire and smoke through his nostril and he can create thunder and lighten by casting a thunderstone to earth. He use his power whenever someone offends him. This stones used by are stored and used by his worshipers for rituals.

The sango usually wear a red and white beads which are either 4 or 6 and he is said to have admired red attires during his lifetime. Because of Sango's likeness for red, he is usually worshipped with red cloths and he is worshipped with the Bata drum because his father Obatala is associated with the Bata drum. Some foods that are used to worship the sango are gbegiri soup, Amala, guguru, bitter kola and it's an abomination to eat cowpea so they won't face the wrath of Sango.

Conclusion

The Sango deity is a powerful deity and he is a brave and confident ruler who doesn't want lies, gossips and partiality. The Sango fight with thunder and fire whenever someone offends him and it's claimed that no one can confront him.