The Osun Osogbo festival is one of the oldest festivals in Nigeria. It’s been practised for so many years. And this tradition is being passed down from generation to generation. The significance of a festival is in its continuity. This has awarded the Osun-Osogbo festival as the most celebrated ritual in the Southwest. Undoubtedly, festivals are intricate social events you want to be a part of. It covers a period when people and organizations are engaged in a range of activities in different locations. In Nigeria, festivals play a significant role in marking history and culture. Although, the earliest history of the communities where cultural festivals are celebrated may be found in the majority of African nations. Still, traditional festival celebrations serve as occasions for cultural analysis. This gives room for people to recall significant moments in their communities’ past and devise modifications where necessary. Beyond excitement, drums and dancing, cultural festivals are a traditional way for you to learn about Yoruba communities. Where is Osun-Osogbo located? Osun-Osogbo is located in the Southwestern region of Nigeria. It is about four hour drive from Nigeria’s commercial capital-Lagos. Osun Osogbo is located in Osun State. The state is regarded as the founding home of the Yoruba. It is the location of Ile Ife. The founding home of the progenitor of the Yoruba race. The origin of the Osun-Osogbo Festival The annual Osun Osogbo festival is a two-week-long celebration that includes twelve days of rituals, entertainment and cultural preservation. The first festival was recorded 700 years ago. The origin of the Osun-Osogbo festival is linked to the prominent role played by the Osun goddess in the establishment and settlement of Osogbo. The Osun goddess is highly revered as the goddess of fertility, giver of prosperity, goddess of children, a healer and a diviner by the Osun people. Women expecting children often attend the festival to seek fruit of the womb. A long time ago, after the ancestors of Osogbo discovered a new colony, they decided to liberate and develop the regions. All they had in mind was a habitation for themselves and their descendants. However, in the process of doing this, they came in touch with the “Oso Igbo” which means wizard of the forest. This happened when the ancestors cleared out a portion of land. A tree was cut down and it dropped on the river. It was recorded in history that the goddess was angry because of this and decided to appear to the wrongdoers. As a way to appease the goddess of the river for the distortion, the ancestors of Osogbo decided to offer a sacrifice. Thankfully, the river goddess received the sacrifice and made a pact with the people of Osogbo. Another notable occurrence was the representative that the goddess sent to the people of Osun. This messenger came in form of a fish and it was received on the palms of the traditional ruler at that time. The agreement was that the sacrifice would be done annually. In return, the Osun goddess promised to support and protect the inhabitants of Osun-Osogbo. The instructions were given to the people of Osogbo as a condition for their growth, wealth, safety and establishment. The inhabitants of Osun have since kept their part of the deal. Traditional rulers that have emerged, continue to offer sacrifices to the Osun goddess yearly. Location of Osun-Osogbo Festival, The Osun Osogbo Sacred Grove With a history dating back several centuries, the Osun-Osogbo Grove is one of the last remaining sacred forests in Nigeria. Sacred groves previously bordered most Yoruba settlements before widespread civilization. This has led to the destruction of most sacred groves. The Osun Osogbo Sacred Grove was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2005 in recognition of its importance on a worldwide scale and its cultural significance. It is one of the two UNESCO world heritage sites in Nigeria. The Osun-Osogbo Grove was profaned in the 1950s when grove shrines were disregarded and priests left the area as traditional obligations and punishments decreased. Thanks to Susanne Wenger who brought back the glory of this once glorious heritage. Date of The Osun Osogbo Festival The date for the Osun Osogbo festival is usually celebrated in August every year. Remarkable Happenings at the Osun Osogbo Festival Despite the presence of other ancestral festivals in Osogbo, the Osun-Osogbo festival is the most popular and exceptional in the entire region. To add to this, the celebration is particularly well-liked not just among the Yoruba tribe in southwest Nigeria, but it is also globally renowned. It should be noted that the Osun festival is an orderly ceremony. Therefore, you need to understand the basis of the event and all there is to this exceptional practice. The festival is attended by tourists from different countries of the world, Here are the remarkable events that take place at the festival and all you should know about them; The road cleansing sacrifice The Osun Osogbo festival opens yearly in August with a road cleansing sacrifice- ‘Iwó Pópó’. This is a replica of the historical path clearing that took place years ago. This happening starts with the traditional clearing of the unwanted plants and trees along the central path of the community. It is necessary to prevent anything that might impede the inflow of visitors to Osogbo and demonstrates ancestral protection. Once this is completed, the Osun festival can begin in its full glory. Majorly, all the acts conducted at the festival are repetitions of the events that took place in Osogbo years ago. The role of the Traditional ruler- Ataoja, Osun priest and priestess It must be mentioned that the sacred rituals of the Osun Osogbo festival re-establish the spiritual union and renew the pathway between the goddess and the people of Osogbo. The Ataoja is the title of the traditional ruler in Osogbo. It is the short form of ‘Atéwógbeja’. This means the palms stretched out to receive the fish. I mentioned this in the history of the
Osun Osogbo Sacred Grove – A UNESCO World Heritage Site
The Osun Osogbo Grove is a UNESCO world Heritage site in Nigeria. It is one of the last remaining sacred forests in Nigeria. It is located along the bank of the Osun Osogbo river in the ever-busy city of Osogbo, Osun State, Nigeria. It is a UNESCO World Heritage site. The grove is one of the last remaining sacred forests in Nigeria. It has been preserved for many centuries. It is known to be the home of the goddess of fertility. The grove is adorned with beautiful landscape, lovely artworks, sculptures, high sanctuaries and shrines. In honour of the Yoruba deity Osun. About the Grove Thousands of years ago, sacred groves were popular and prevalent in almost every Yoruba traditional villages. With the advent of western religion and development, most of these sacred groves have either shrunk in sizes or abandoned. Most sacred groves have either been neglected, been taken over by housing development, abandoned and forgotten. The Osun Osogbo sacred grove is still standing despite many years of its existence. The Sacred grove boasts of two palaces, five sacred centres, 9 worship points spread around the sacred grove which lies along the Osun Osogbo river bank. The Artworks Most of the artworks installed are within the last sixty years. The grove is a religious and sacred place while to some it is like a pilgrimage site where its worshippers visit yearly for cleansing and to appease the gods.In the twentieth century, there was a call to revive the remains of this decaying grove and restore its past glory. This action led to a movement headed by Susanne Wenger (1915-2009) an Austrian artist who later became a Yoruba priestess to transform the Osun Osogbo grove into an artistic hub through her Sacred Art movement. Sacred Grove In the olden days, Sacred groves were present in almost every Yoruba settlement, there were sacred forests dedicated to the gods. Over the years most of these Sacred groves have been abandoned with the introduction of Christianity, Islam and civilisation. Most of them became non-existence over time. This has made the Osun Osogbo an important tourist destination because it is the only surviving sacred grove in Yorubaland. The Osun Osogbo River According to Yoruba folklore, the Osun Osogbo river was a Queen married to one of the strongest Kings in the Yoruba Kingdom known as Sango (The God of Thunder) Thor probably comes to mind. She had a misunderstanding with her husband and anger, she turned into what we know today as the Osun Osogbo river. The river was first discovered by a hunter who decided to settle close to the river due to famine. The goddess promised to protect them provided they built a shrine and protect the grove. This is the legendary tale of the Osun Osogbo river goddess. Susan Wenger Movement In the early fifties, the sacred forest was losing its significance. It was abandoned and invaded by poachers, fishing activities, and experienced massive deforestation. An Austrian lady known as Susan Wenger visited Osun State with her husband. She fell in love with the practices and culture, so she decided to stay. Upon realizing the illegal activities going in the once-booming grove, through the local authorities. She decided to set up the New Sacred Art movement to stop the abuse and illegal activities going on within the shrine. Her Work At the Sacred Grove After falling in love with the practice, she decided to stay in Nigeria against her husband wishes. They divorced and she was named the Adunni Olorisa. Her presence and works lead to the popularity of the Osun Osogbo Grove. She lived all her life in the city of Osogbo with her adopted children. Susan Wenger died in 2009 at the at of 93. She became a custodian and a priestess of the Osun Osogbo grove. An act that further increased the popularity and significance of the grove. Though the history of the Osun Osogbo grove dates as far back as over 500 years. The history of the grove will not be complete without Susan Wenger. The Osun Osogbo Festival The Osun Osogbo grove serves as the location for the celebration of the Osun Osogbo festival. It is an annual festival in Osun State in honour of the Osun goddess. Osun Osogbo grove serves as the location of the Osun Osogbo festival which has gain popularity all over the world. This event witnessed visits from tourists, locals, international spectators, traditionalists and worshippers from all works of life who grace this yearly occasion. The Sacred Month The month of August is a sacred month in Osun State. It is the month for the celebration of the Osun Osogbo festival. This festival has been dated as far back as over 700 years. It is a two weeks event which starts with the traditional cleansing of the town. The process is known as Iwopopo and then followed by the lighting of the over 500-year-old sixteen point lamp called Ina Olojumerindinlogun. On The 11th day of the festival, a virgin lady known as the Arugba or calabash carrier would carry a calabash on her head. She will have two pieces of kola nuts in her mouth and a colourful veil to cover herself. With the calabash, she will enter the innermost part of the forest. She is the intermediary between the goddess and the people. She must not speak, murmur or slip during this special ceremony. If she does any of these would mean doom for the community according to beliefs. The content of the calabash is to sacrifice to the goddess. The high priestess of the grove would carry to the shrine to appease the water goddess. The chief host of the festival is the King of Osogbo with the title Ataoja of Oshogbo. The Osun Osogbo festival attracts thousands of visitors yearly making it one of the biggest festivals in Nigeria. Other activities at the festival include singing, dancing, display of costumes, performances and other cultural display. The New