The excitement associated with the annual celebration of the world acclaimed Osun Osogbo festival climaxed last Friday with no fewer than three hundred thousand people from across the globe converging on Osogbo to celebrate the festival.
Historically, Oso-igbo, (goddess of Osun River) was the queen and original founder of the ancient town. She was accredited with many important achievements which helped to establish the town. She lived in a beautiful environment and possessed magical power which inspired her people and frightened their enemies.
She was acclaimed to be the goddess of fertility, protection, and blessing; she possessed the ability to give children to barren women and power to heal the sick and the afflicted using medicinal water from the river.
Worshipers believed that Oso-igbo still possesses that efficacious power to bail them out of their problem because her existence is eternal hence their commitment to the worship of the deity.
However, Osun Osogbo festival transcends the local belief of her adherents now that it has become a world acclaimed festival, an heritage site in Nigeria sponsored by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
This year’s event was co-sponsored by the Osun State government, MTN, and many other organizations without any support from the Federal Government of Nigeria according to the chairman Osun State Tourism Board, Engr. Abimbola Daniyan.
Highlight of the events marking this year’s festival included: the traditional town cleansing, Iwo Popo town storming, OSUNFest Concert, lectures, School package tours, film shows, arugba Berths, ANTP performance night, visits by United States Trade & Culture Delegation to historic sites, drama presentation.
Others were mini exhibition and performance, Susan Wenger Sacred Colloquium, fashion business workshop, trade, arts, & craft mini expo, adire exhibition, hair, fashion, &style exhibition, business-to-business meeting, hiv-aids promotional campaign, cultural summit among others.
The event that brought home hundreds of sons and daughters of Osogbo was witnessed by hundreds of thousands of people from across Nigeria, Africa and rest of the globe.
Besides thousands of people that had arrived the city before the grand finale, thousands started trouping in as early as 6:oo am to afford them the opportunity of exploring the historical monuments in the grove before the real event commenced at an immaculately constructed shed beside the river where the Osun priests perform ritual.
The climax of this year’s event was the arrival of the governor of the State, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbsola at the grove accompanied by his Deputy, Otunba Grace Titilayo Laoye-Tomori (a daughter of the soil) and other members of his cabinet and associates drawn from across the country and in the Diaspora.
Various side attractions spiced up the event, including cultural dance by the Osun State Cultural Troupe, paying of traditional homage by the traditional chiefs, special exchange of pleasantries by visiting traditional rulers, traditional flogging by youths which involves youths of both sexes, special blessing by the priests, struggle to draw water for spiritual healing, cultural dance by groups of masquerades, display of traditional dresses, (various batiks), availability of animals such as monkeys of diverse species in large numbers, availability of cultural monuments that speak volume as well as tour guides.
Governor Aregbesola’s physical presence at the grove for the first time since he assumed office added colour to the grand finale as he was heralded thunderous applause by the large crowd that throng the event.
Addressing the people in his speech entitled “Strengthening Our Human Bond, Improving Our Economic Gains”, Aregbesola called on stakeholders to give maximum support to the celebration of Osun Osogbo festival to enhance the promotion of cultural essence and development of tourism industry in the society.
He expressed delight that the economic potentials of the festival had begun to manifest in various sectors of the economy.
According to him, apart from the promotion of our rich cultural heritage, Osun festival serves as booster to the economy in view of increased tourism attraction and multiplier effects on trade, hospitality and transportation.
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