Osun Oshogbo: The morning after

The festival, dated back to the 13th Century, remains the most famous of all traditional festivals in the South Western part of the country. The source of the river is traced to Igede, in the present Ekiti state. However, it is widely celebrated in Osogbo following a historic relationship between the river goddess and the […]

The festival, dated back to the 13th Century, remains the most famous of all traditional festivals in the South Western part of the country.

The source of the river is traced to Igede, in the present Ekiti state. However, it is widely celebrated in Osogbo following a historic relationship between the river goddess and the founding father of Osogboland.

The Ajaguna of Osogbo, Chief Gabriel Oparanti, speaks on the historical background of the celebration: “In the 13th Century, an incident happened when the community was preparing for the next planting season. A tree fell into the river and there was a loud voice, saying ‘Larooye Olutimehin, you have destroyed all my dying pots,’ but the lesser spirits within the groove pacified the goddess of the river by saying “Oso igbo pele o, oso igbo rora o” that is, ‘it should keep calm over the unfortunate incidence,’ and that was how the name of Osogbo was derived”.

“The goddess of Osun advised the community to move to the other side of the river, for human beings cannot live with the spirits, and they obeyed the order and moved to “Ontoto” where they established another palace, and a flourishing market.

While in Ontoto, Olutimehin, being a hunter, went on a hunting expedition and suddenly saw spirits within the groove, dancing round a 16-point lamp. The lamps were seen through incantations and brought back to the palace to show to Oba Larooye, the then Ataoja of Osogbo.”

“When the goddess of the river heard about the seizure of the lamps, he invited Oba Larooye and Olutimehin, the great hunter, and told them that the seizure of the lamps did not worry her, but they must be sure they celebrated the lightening of the lamps when the grand finale of Osun festival is about nine days to come, and the lamps must be set on fire from 7.00pm till dawn”.

“The Ataoja, the traditional Chiefs of Osogbo land with all princes and princesses in Osogbo must dance round the 16-point lamp three times before the day break. During the third time, the lamps would be put off by a traditional chief called Baale Oba. The chief would keep the lamps till the following year. The Ataoja would dance round the market with his chiefs before returning back to the palace.”

“The goddess of Osun River also presented a calabash containing some antiquities to Oba Larooye and Olutimehin. The antiquities must not be seen with the naked eyes. The goddess instructed that a young virgin selected by the incumbent Ataoja through Ifa divination should convey the calabash to the river during the grand finale of Osun festival and the traditional ruler with the Osun priestess must hold the calabash to welcome a messenger called “Iko”. Both the monarch and the priestess must hold a parrot feather at the head to welcome the messenger whom we believe is sent annually by the goddess of Osun”.

“This messenger, in turn, pours curative water into the calabash held by the priestess and the monarch, and it is our belief that any barren woman who drinks out of the curative water will be blessed with a child or children the following year. The water also cure all forms of ailments.

Osun Osogbo festival is celebrated in August every year in a grand style. The activities in the state received a boost while hotels were booked in advance by tourists, lovers of culture and tradition, illustrious children of the state, mainly Osogbo indigenes, who seize the opportunity of the celebration to re-unite with their loved ones.

Since 2005, Osogbo town has always witnessed a beehive of activities during this period. The international flavour added to the festival has made it highly sought after by organisations for sponsorship. Various activities spring up in the town during this period, providing temporal jobs for the unemployed.

This year, the festival was celebrated earlier than the usual period. The reason is religious, not to set the worshippers in collusion with the Muslims who would be observing Ramadan during the usual period. Also, the traditional ruler, the Ataoja of Osogbo, Oba Iyiola Oyewale Matanmi III, is considered to be practising the three major religions in the country, namely: Islam, Christianity and Traditional were expected to protect the interests of all.

Annually, the festival commences with “Iwo popo”, meaning ‘clearing of roads.’ The “Iwo Popo” day, being the first day was to cleanse the town with Ataoja of Osogbo and his traditional chiefs with the Osun Priestess: “Yeye Osun,” walking through some areas of the town and latter converge at Gbaemu area of the city.

Gbaemu, is chosen because history revealed that the area, which is now the heart of Osogbo, was in the outskirt of the town when the festival began some centuries ago.

At Gbaemu, the traditional chiefs and “Oloris” pay homage to the traditional ruler three times before leaving the area for the palace of the Ataoja.

The next in the series of activities is the lightening of the 16 facets lamp at the palace of the Ataoja. This is to be followed by a traditional event called “Iboriboade”, and this is a time when all crowns used by past Ataojas are showcased to the public at the palace of the Ataoja. Also, the incumbent traditional ruler and the traditional chiefs, during this exhibition, pay homage to the departed rulers through the crowns.

The grand finale of Osun festival holds at the end of the four days traditional programme. It is a day when indigenes of the town with the Ataoja in company of his chiefs pay homage to Osun shrine and offer prayer to the goddess of the river.

During the grand finale, the votary maid (Arugba Osun) leaves Osun shrine with the Osun calabash, which contains some antiquities to worship the goddess of the river. The votary maid receives a royal blessing from the traditional ruler at the wake of the last day of the celebration and leads the possession to the shrine at the groove.

The votary maid, who is a young virgin from the family of the incumbent Ataoja, is shielded amidst tight security to prevent her stumbling while going or coming from the groove.

This year’s celebration as usual witnessed an unprecedented crowd. Among the dignitaries present at the grand finale celebration were the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Dimeji Bankole and the representative of the Minister for Culture, Tourism and National Orientation, Senator Jubril Bello Gada.