Yoruba Rights Advocates (YRA) has supported award-winning stylist Dr. Azeezat Abiola Amusat after she threatened legal action following the misattribution of her work on Gele.
YRA is a coalition of Diaspora lawyers and professionals advocating for Yoruba rights, cultural heritage and the fair recognition of Yoruba contributions to global culture.
Dr. Amusat had publicly stated that she created the Yoruba Gele styling worn by Beyoncé in Black Is King. She has also raised concerns that imagery of her work has appeared in the Beauty in the Motherland 2026 campaign under the attribution "Ichafu."
YRA expressed concern that the Gele of Yoruba women is being rebranded as "Ichafu," obscuring the Yoruba origins of Gele and the generations of Yoruba women whose ingenuity created, preserved and sustained this cultural tradition.
"This is not only a question of individual creative attribution; it also concerns the recognition of the historical origins of Gele and the protection of Yoruba cultural heritage from misrepresentation and erasure. We call for transparent attribution, accountability and the proper recognition of Yoruba women's contributions to the development and global visibility of Gele," YRA said.
The group said an England-and-Wales-qualified legal professional associated with our coalition has been in contact with Dr. Amusat, "and we are supporting her throughout this process. We call on the relevant parties to engage constructively, clarify the provenance and attribution of the disputed imagery, and address the concerns raised."
Asserting that Gele is Yoruba-owned, YRA cited the Oxford English Dictionary, which defines Gele as "A West African head-tie originally worn by Yoruba women". The British Museum's collection includes a Yoruba head-tie dated 1880-1913, while historical scholarship documents the wider circulation and adoption of Yoruba attire, including the adoption of Gele beyond Yoruba communities.
"From Gele and Aso Ebi to Owanbe party culture, Yoruba creativity has shaped Nigerian social life, fashion, and global cultural influence. These traditions, which were created, preserved, and sustained across generations, require accurate recognition and protection.
"We call on the Nigerian government and relevant cultural institutions to strengthen the protection of indigenous crafts and cultural heritage, ensure accurate recognition of their origins, and safeguard the contributions of the communities and practitioners who created and developed them.
"Yoruba cultural heritage must not be erased, misrepresented, or separated from our history," YRA said in a statement signed by Yewande Fadeyi, Solicitor of England and Wales; Taiwo Kola, ΜΑ England, United Kingdom; Ade Omojola, Attorney-at-Law, New Jersey, U.S.; and Dr. Michael Awosanya, Ph.D. United States of America
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