Grants:Programs/Wikimedia Community Fund/Rapid Fund/Sacred Rhythms:Yoruba Orisa, Drums, Festivals, Rituals, and Sacred Places of Worship (ID: 23724354)
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Applicant Details
[edit]- Main Wikimedia username. (required)
Royalesignature
- Organization
N/A
- If you are a group or organization leader, board member, president, executive director, or staff member at any Wikimedia group, affiliate, or Wikimedia Foundation, you are required to self-identify and present all roles. (required)
N/A
- Describe all relevant roles with the name of the group or organization and description of the role. (required)
Main Proposal
[edit]- 1. Please state the title of your proposal. This will also be the Meta-Wiki page title.
Sacred Rhythms: Yoruba Orisa, Drums, Festivals, Rituals, and Sacred Places of Worship
- 2. and 3. Proposed start and end dates for the proposal.
2026-02-28 - 2026-05-31
- 4. Where will this proposal be implemented? (required)
Nigeria
- 5. Are your activities part of a Wikimedia movement campaign, project, or event? If so, please select the relevant project or campaign. (required)
Wiki Loves Africa
- 6. What is the change you are trying to bring? What are the main challenges or problems you are trying to solve? Describe this change or challenges, as well as main approaches to achieve it. (required)
Wiki Loves Africa 2026: Sacred Rhythms – Yoruba Orisa, Drums, Festivals, Rituals and Sacred Places of Worship
The change we seek to bring with this project is the documentation, preservation, and celebration of Yoruba cultural heritage, with a particular focus on its rites, rituals, and spiritual traditions. The Yoruba people are renowned for their vibrant and symbolic cultural expressions, which include Orisa worship, sacred drumming, festivals, naming ceremonies, masquerades, and traditional places of worship. Despite their global influence, much of this rich cultural heritage remains underrepresented in the Wikimedia movement, leaving gaps in freely accessible images, videos, and knowledge about Yoruba rituals and traditions.
- The main challenges we aim to address include the lack of visual documentation of Yoruba spiritual and cultural practices on Wikimedia platforms, the risk of cultural erasure in the face of modernization, and the limited engagement of cultural custodians, traditional worshippers, and creative professionals in open knowledge projects. Without intentional efforts, these invaluable cultural practices—many of which are visually rich and globally significant—may remain invisible in the global knowledge ecosystem. This proposed Photowalk and documentation project, under the theme “Sacred Rhythms”, will focus on capturing the vibrancy of Yoruba festivals, the symbolic rituals of Orisa worship, the spiritual power of sacred drums, the artistry of masquerades, and the reverence of traditional places of worship. We will highlight ceremonies such as naming rites, Marriage rites, initiation rituals, and annual festivals honouring Orisa like Sàngó, Ògún, and Yemoja, showcasing the deep connections between the Yoruba people, their deities, and their cultural identity. To achieve this, we will: Organize cultural photowalks in selected Yoruba communities to document rituals, festivals, sacred places of worship, and ceremonial practices.
- Collaborate with traditional leaders,journalists, photographers, cultural custodians, and worshippers to ensure authentic representation.
- Engage professional and emerging photographers (through local photography associations) to contribute high-quality images and videos.
- Encourage youth and volunteers to join the Wikimedia movement by contributing multimedia content that fills the current gaps on Yoruba cultural heritage.
- Ultimately, this project will not only bridge knowledge and visual content gaps on Yoruba culture within Wikimedia projects but also celebrate and preserve the sacred rhythms of Yoruba identity for global audiences and future generations.
- 7. What are the planned activities? (required) Please provide a list of main activities. You can also add a link to the public page for your project where details about your project can be found. Alternatively, you can upload a timeline document. When the activities include partnerships, include details about your partners and planned partnerships.
- 28 February 2026 – Virtual Information Session and Campaign Launch
A virtual launch session will introduce the Wiki Loves Africa 2026 theme (Rites & Rituals), project objectives, and expected outcomes. The session will provide an overview of Wikimedia Commons, contribution workflows, and licensing, and support account creation for new contributors. This activity serves as orientation and participant recruitment .
- 7 March 2026 – In-Person Capacity-Building Workshop
A one-day physical training workshop will be organized for 60 participants, comprising:10 photographers (professional and emerging),10 traditionalists / cultural custodians,10 historians / cultural researchers, and 30 Wikipedia editors / Wikimedia volunteers. Training will cover Wikimedia Commons contribution standards, ethical documentation of rites and rituals, photography and videography skills, and preparation for structured field photowalks.
- 21 March 2026 – Virtual Wikimedia Commons Skills Session
A virtual follow-up session will strengthen participant capacity in navigating Wikimedia Commons, uploading media, applying licenses, creating metadata, categorization, and using images to improve Wikipedia and related Wikimedia projects.
- 18 April 2026 – 8 May 2026 Field Photowalks
Three guided photowalks will be conducted across Kwara, Osun, and Oyo States to document Yoruba rites, rituals, and sacred spaces. Kwara State (Irra, Igboidun, Ilemona, Offa): Orisa Oya Grove, Orisa Laage Grove, Moremi Heritage Site, Odo Ogun River, Obatala deities, and Gogo River. Focus: Feminine power, nature-based worship, water-linked rituals. Osun State (Ede, Osogbo): Aafin Ilu (Drum Palace), Osun-Osogbo Sacred Grove (UNESCO site), shrines of Sango and Esu, Orisa Aje Grove. Focus: Sacred drumming, festivals, ritual economy, ancestral rites. Oyo State: Masquerades, ritual performances, and traditional worship spaces.
- 09 May 2026 – General Upload Session and Advanced Commons Training
A centralized virtual upload session will ensure all documented media are properly contributed to Wikimedia Commons. Focus areas include structured metadata, categorization, image reuse, article illustration, and submission to the Wiki Loves Africa 2026 photo contest.
- 15 May 2026 -31 May 2026 – Closing Event, Exhibition, and Reporting
The project will conclude with a physical exhibition titled “Sacred Rhythms” (venue in Kwara or Osun State to be finalized), featuring selected project outputs. This will be followed by awards, a debrief session, and submission of a final report to the Wiki Loves Africa team detailing activities, outputs, and outcomes.
- 8. Describe your team. Please provide their roles, Wikimedia Usernames and other details. (required) Include more details of the team, including their roles, usernames, Wikimedia group, and whether they are salaried, volunteers, consultants/contractors, etc. Team members involved in the grant application need to be aware of their involvement in the project.
- Project Lead: Salako Lukman Olamilekan (Royalesignature)
Salako Lukman Olamilekan, widely known by his Wikimedia username Royalesignature, is a prolific Yoruba Wikipedia editor and one of the foremost champions of Yoruba-language knowledge on Wikimedia platforms. With an impressive record of over 600 articles created on Yoruba Wikipedia and more than 700 media uploads on Wikimedia Commons (spanning images, videos, and audio files), he has consistently expanded access to Yoruba content while safeguarding cultural knowledge in digital form. Royalesignature has received recognition for his outstanding contributions, including winning prestigious competitions such as the Write for the Rights Nigeria Contest 2025, Afrodemics 2025, and serving as a delegate at Afroyanga 2.0, a cultural-focused Wikipedia intensive bootcamp. He is also a Wiki Lab Organizer Cohort 2 graduate and a WikiBoast delegate, an initiative for carefully selected experienced editors organized by the Wikimedia User Group Nigeria. His excellence has further been spotlighted through top-level contributions to landmark initiatives such as Celebrating Nigeria’s Indigenous Identity on Wikimedia and Afrohistory 2025. Beyond his personal contributions, Royalesignature is an innovative organizer, trainer, and community builder. He has successfully led and co-organized several impactful projects, including the Yoruba Wikipedia Awareness Campaign in Offa, Wikipedia 4 Ijakadi Festival, and Exploring the Cultural Heritage of Yoruba Compounds. He also co-organized the Wiki Climate Campus Tour Nigeria, one of the largest climate-focused Wikimedia initiatives in the country. Through these initiatives, he has introduced hundreds of new editors to the Wikimedia movement and fostered sustainable, long-term participation. As the Founder of the Yoruba Wikipedia Fan Club Offa, he continues to nurture communities of passionate editors, empowering youth and cultural advocates to preserve, celebrate, and make Yoruba knowledge globally accessible. His proven track record in cultural documentation, project leadership, and Wikimedia advocacy uniquely positions him to lead the Wiki Loves Africa 2026: Sacred Rhythms project. With this initiative, he aims to spotlight the rich spiritual, ritual, and cultural traditions of the Yoruba people—capturing the essence of Orisa worship, drums, festivals, rituals, sacred places of worship, and intangible heritage—while ensuring these treasures are preserved and represented within the global Wikimedia ecosystem.
- Project Co-Organizer & Communications – Muhammed Thani Muhammed Thani will serve as the project’s Co-Organizer, bringing a strong track record of excellence in Wikimedia contributions and communications. He emerged as the highest Yoruba-language contributor during the Write for the Rights Nigeria 2025 Contest and was the runner-up for highest Yoruba content translator from English in August 2025, with over 100 articles translated. Beyond Wikimedia, he is an accomplished ICT expert, project manager, and communications specialist, whose expertise will strengthen the project’s organization, outreach, and knowledge-sharing impact.
- Facilitator & Jury Member: User:Linason Blessing
Linason Blessing Chemataon is a Certified Librarian, Wikimedia contributor, and community facilitator with practical experience in visual documentation and open knowledge projects in Nigeria. She brings a strong understanding of how images, metadata, and contextual information contribute to closing content gaps on Wikimedia platforms. Her involvement in image-focused initiatives such as Wiki Loves Africa, Wikipedia Pages Wanting Photos, and WikiGLAM has strengthened her expertise in photography for cultural documentation, ethical representation, and media reuse. With a librarian’s attention to detail, she applies best practices in licensing, categorization, and structured data, ensuring that visual content is both creative and technically compliant. Linason is an active volunteer with the Wikimedia Nigeria User Group and a member of the Ilorin Wikimedia Hub, with experience as a participant, facilitator, organizer, and project lead across multiple Wikimedia programs. In this project, she will support participant training, guide contributors on creative and ethical photography,Lincesing and serve on the jury to assess submissions based on quality, cultural sensitivity, and alignment with Wikimedia standards.
- Facilitator: Dorcas Omolade
Dokimazo99 is a seasoned Yoruba Wikipedia editor who stands as one of the most prolific content creators on the Yoruba Wikipedia having created over 500 articles on Yoruba Wikipedia. She has previously served as the president of the Yoruba Wiki Fan-club Unilag and Wikipedian-in-Residence for the Yoruba Wikimedians User Group, she showcases her commitment to promoting and preserving the Yoruba language. With a proven track record of spearheading successful projects, such as the "Wikipedia Training: University of Lagos First Semester," where she diligently trained and guided participants in the art of editing and translating into Yoruba Wikipedia. She has trained and recruited over 100 editors to the Yoruba Wikimedians User Group.
- Facilitator and Jury: Santhosh Notagar Prof. Santhosh Notagar is a distinguished professor of 3D and 2D Animation, Graphic Design, and Videography at Malgore University, with extensive expertise in digital media and visual storytelling. Beyond academia, he is a renowned Wikipedia volunteer with active contributions across projects, and a participant in international Wikimedia events such as the Wikisource Conference, where he has engaged in advancing free knowledge and collaborative editing. His dual experience as an academic lecturer and Wikimedia advocate equips him with unique skills in training, knowledge transfer, and cultural documentation. As a facilitator for this project, Prof. Notagar will bring his wealth of expertise in creative media, open knowledge, and community engagement to enrich participants’ capacity in producing high-quality visual and cultural content for the Wikimedia movement.
- Welfare & Administration – Amina Ibrahim O. will oversee logistics and welfare for the project. She is an experienced educationist, historian, and communications expert, bringing a strong background in coordination, cultural understanding, and stakeholder engagement. Her expertise will ensure smooth administration, effective communication, and well-organized support systems for participants and partners throughout the project. Abidoye Yusuf is a videographer and Content Creator.
- Photowalk Coordinator: Bolaji Badmus Photography
Bolaji Badmus is a professional documentary photographer and visual storyteller with strong experience in field-based cultural documentation. His work focuses on capturing lived realities, rituals, heritage spaces, and human-centered narratives through photography, with particular attention to authenticity, composition, and storytelling. As a photowalk coordinator, Bolaji brings practical expertise in documentary photography, field coordination, and participant guidance, ensuring that contributors are able to work effectively in sensitive cultural environments. He has experience mentoring photographers during on-site documentation, guiding them on framing, lighting, ethical engagement, and respecting sacred spaces while producing high-quality visual content. For this project, Bolaji Badmus will coordinate all field photowalks across Kwara, Osun, and Oyo States, providing technical direction and on-ground leadership. He will support participants in translating the Wiki Loves Africa 2026 theme (Rites & Rituals) into compelling visual documentation, while ensuring safety, cultural sensitivity, and adherence to Wikimedia Commons standards. His role is critical to achieving strong photographic outputs suitable for long-term use across Wikimedia projects.
- User; Macdanpets
Macdanpets is a native Yoruba speaker, educator, and Wikimedia volunteer with extensive expertise in standard Yoruba orthography, cultural practices, and historical sites. He is also an experienced photographer, with over 500 media files contributed to Wikimedia Commons, documenting Yoruba heritage, rituals, and landscapes. In this project, Macdanpets will serve as the Yoruba Language, Cultural, and Photography Consultant, guiding participants on accurate Yoruba language usage in captions, metadata, and article contributions, while ensuring cultural authenticity in documenting festivals, rituals, and sacred spaces. He will provide expert advice on interpreting oral traditions, ceremonies, and historical sites, as well as mentoring participants on photography techniques that meet Wikimedia standards. His combined expertise in language, culture, history, and visual documentation ensures that all project outputs are authentic, culturally sensitive, and of high educational value, strengthening the documentation and preservation of Yoruba heritage for global access.
- 9. Who are the target participants and from which community? How will you engage participants before and during the activities? How will you follow up with participants after the activities? (required)
The campaign is designed to attract a diverse and inclusive group of participants, including photography enthusiasts, first-time and experienced Wikimedians, students, and members of the general public across Nigeria with an interest in cultural heritage and storytelling. Participation is open to all Nigerians, particularly photographers and individuals motivated to contribute visual knowledge to Wikimedia platforms.
Project activities will be implemented across four key educational hubs—Ajetunmobi College of EducationI (Irra), Lens University (Ilemona), Lens Polytechnic (Offa), and Summit University (Offa)—to directly engage students and surrounding communities and to strengthen grassroots participation.
To support collaboration and continuity, participants will be connected through a dedicated WhatsApp coordination group for updates, peer exchange, and technical support. In addition, newly trained contributors will be matched with experienced Wikimedians who will provide mentorship, practical guidance, and follow-up support to encourage sustained contribution beyond the campaign period.
Engagement will be reinforced through scheduled follow-up sessions held during and after the campaign, delivered through a mix of virtual and in-person meetups. These sessions will feature interactive discussions and collaborative activities, supported by WhatsApp and Facebook, to maintain momentum and strengthen community ties.
- 10. Does your project involve work with children or youth? (required)
No
- 10.1. Please provide a link to your Youth Safety Policy. (required) If the proposal indicates direct contact with children or youth, you are required to outline compliance with international and local laws for working with children and youth, and provide a youth safety policy aligned with these laws. Read more here.
- 11. How did you discuss the idea of your project with your community members and/or any relevant groups? Please describe steps taken and provide links to any on-wiki community discussion(s) about the proposal. (required) You need to inform the community and/or group, discuss the project with them, and involve them in planning this proposal. You also need to align the activities with other projects happening in the planned area of implementation to ensure collaboration within the community.
We engaged extensively with our community and relevant groups to shape our project. Insights from Wikimedians in the South West and North Central regions, particularly members of the Wiki Yoruba community and the Wiki Loves Africa team in Nigeria, guided our approach, while project facilitators and ambassadors provided practical advice and ensured cultural accuracy. During our Ijakadi Festival 2025 documentation project, which aligns closely with the Wiki Loves Africa 2026 theme, we partnered with local photographers to capture cultural richness. Although not yet Wikimedia editors, these photographers will be more fully engaged in this project, expanding coverage and contributions to Wikimedia Commons. We also collaborated with cultural custodians, educators, youth groups, and organizations such as Ègbé Akọmolèdè Yoruba ẹkùn Ọfà and Oyun, Yoruba Wikimedians User Group, Rotaract Club of Offa Metropolitan, and Offa Youth Impact Initiative. Through training sessions, photowalks, and community discussions, we have fostered broad participation, ensuring the project reflects collective ownership, collaboration, and sustainable impact.
Digitizing_Yoruba_Heritage:_One_Edit_at_a_Time
- 12. Does your proposal aim to work to bridge any of the content knowledge gaps (Knowledge Inequity)? Select one option that most apply to your work. (required)
Cultural background, ethnicity, religion, racial
- 13. Does your proposal include any of these areas or thematic focus? Select one option that most applies to your work. (required)
Culture, heritage or GLAM
- 14. Will your work focus on involving participants from any underrepresented communities? Select one option that most apply to your work. (required)
Ethnic/racial/religious or cultural background
- 15. In what ways do you think your proposal most contributes to the Movement Strategy 2030 recommendations. Select one that most applies. (required)
Increase the Sustainability of Our Movement
Learning and metrics
[edit]- 17. What do you hope to learn from your work in this project or proposal? (required)
How can documenting Yoruba festivals, rituals, and sacred practices strengthen intergenerational knowledge transfer and inspire pride in cultural identity?
What innovative ways can Wikimedia tools and platforms be used to amplify Yoruba cultural heritage globally and attract new contributors?
How do you think this Photowalk can bring a sense of urgency to preserve Yoruba sacred groves, Orisa traditions, and places of worship through advocacy and documentation?
Do you think partnership with cultural custodians, traditional leaders, and community stakeholders can help us achieve this aim?
What do you hope to learn from this project in terms of cultural heritage documentation, knowledge sharing, and Wikimedia community engagement?
How would your participation in Wiki Loves Africa 2026 make our community members feel engaged and become more attached to the Wikimedia movement?
How did you feel being part of Wiki Loves Africa? What was your experience like meeting other community members, photographers, and cultural custodians during the project?
During next year’s contest, will you be willing to participate again as part of this movement to continue documenting African heritage?
Would you recommend this project to someone, especially young photographers, cultural enthusiasts, or Wikimedia contributors?
- 18. What are your Wikimedia project targets in numbers (metrics)? (required)
| Other Metrics | Target | Optional description |
|---|---|---|
| Number of participants | 68 | |
| Number of editors | 60 | |
| Number of organizers | 8 |
| Wikimedia project | Number of content created or improved |
|---|---|
| Wikipedia | 30 |
| Wikimedia Commons | 2000 |
| Wikidata | 50 |
| Wiktionary | |
| Wikisource | |
| Wikimedia Incubator | |
| Translatewiki | |
| MediaWiki | |
| Wikiquote | |
| Wikivoyage | |
| Wikibooks | |
| Wikiversity | |
| Wikinews | |
| Wikispecies | |
| Wikifunctions or Abstract Wikipedia |
- Optional description for content contributions.
N/A
- 19. Do you have any other project targets in numbers (metrics)? (optional)
No
| Main Open Metrics | Description | Target |
|---|---|---|
| N/A | N/A | N/A |
| N/A | N/A | N/A |
| N/A | N/A | N/A |
| N/A | N/A | N/A |
| N/A | N/A | N/A |
- 20. What tools would you use to measure each metrics? Please refer to the guide for a list of tools. You can also write that you are not sure and need support. (required)
1.Outreach dashboard tools 2. Ptools 3. Commons category tool 4. Hashtag tools 5, Event Metrics Tool 6. Fountain Tool
Financial proposal
[edit]- 21. Please upload your budget for this proposal or indicate the link to it. (required)
- 22. and 22.1. What is the amount you are requesting for this proposal? Please provide the amount in your local currency. (required)
6148389 NGN
- 22.2. Convert the amount requested into USD using the Oanda converter. This is done only to help you assess the USD equivalent of the requested amount. Your request should be between 500 - 5,000 USD.
4315.86 USD
- We/I have read the Application Privacy Statement, WMF Friendly Space Policy and Universal Code of Conduct.
Yes
Endorsements and Feedback
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- Stating why the proposal is important for the communities involved and why they think the strategies chosen will achieve the results that are expected.
- Highlighting any aspects they think are particularly well developed: for instance, the strategies and activities proposed, the levels of community engagement, outreach to underrepresented groups, addressing knowledge gaps, partnerships, the overall budget and learning and evaluation section of the proposal, etc.
- Highlighting if the proposal focuses on any interesting research, learning or innovation, etc. Also if it builds on learning from past proposals developed by the individual or organization, or other Wikimedia communities.
- Analyzing if the proposal is going to contribute in any way to important developments around specific Wikimedia projects or Movement Strategy.
- Analysing if the proposal is coherent in terms of the objectives, strategies, budget, and expected results (metrics).