Information Management in Yoruba Cultural Heritage Organisations: A Study of Selected Bodies in Oyo State

Cultural heritage organisations responsible for preserving Yoruba traditions require effective information management systems to safeguard and disseminate their holdings. This study examines information management practices in selected Yoruba cultural heritage organisations in Oyo State, South West Nigeria, including the Yoruba Historical Research Programme, the Oyo State Council for Arts and Culture, and selected municipal cultural centres. Using a qualitative case study design, data were collected from administrators, cultural officers, and information professionals through semi-structured interviews and documentary analysis of organisational records. The study applies information management theory and knowledge organisation principles to assess how these organisations acquire, process, store, retrieve, and disseminate information about Yoruba cultural heritage. Existing literature on cultural heritage information management in Nigeria has addressed museum practice and archival institutions, with smaller community-based cultural heritage organisations receiving limited systematic attention. This study fills that organisational gap. The research evaluates the extent to which digital information management tools have been adopted, the challenges organisations face in managing oral and performance-based heritage materials, and how intellectual property considerations affect information access practices. Findings are expected to reveal that most organisations rely on informal and paper-based information management, with digital adoption limited by resource constraints and technical capacity. Recommendations will address affordable digital information management solutions, staff training, and inter-organisational collaboration for Yoruba heritage institutions in Oyo State. Keywords: information management, Yoruba cultural heritage, Oyo State, heritage organisations, digital archiving.