The Osun-Osogbo Festival

The Osun-Osogbo festival is a festival that is held in Osun state, western part of Nigeria, West Africa. It is a festival that is held to celebrate the River goddess, Osun. In writing any narrative on the Osun-Osogbo festival, there are three important personalities that make the festival sacred. These personalities are: Ataoja, Yeye-Osun and the Arugba.

Ata-Oja is the Oba of Osogbo. The importance of this king is historical. Tied down to history, there was a man named Larooye Gbadewolu Olatimehin who was the king of Iponle-Omu. There was a time at Iponle Omu when there was draught and people had to look for water. The King led them, and they discovered the Osun river. They went there to take water for use and in no time they started to migrate towards the source of water.

The activities of people at the river side was affecting the serenity of the river and the goddess of the river felt disturbed. She decided to make her presence noticed by making sounds whenever people come to fetch water for use. Larooye then named the unseen goddess 'Osho-Igbo,' that is, keeper of the forest. From the name Osho-Igbo, the name of the town-Osogbo was coined.

People of osogbo realised that since they have been using the river Osun water, they have been more fertile and they get healed naturally of their ailments. They realised that the goddess of the river is worth worshipping.

There was a good relationship between Larooye and  Osun goddess. The goddess told him to observe a festival where people will come and say prayers by the river, and a virgin (Arugba) will carry the calabash of sacrifices to the river while the king will 'tewogbeja,' that is, the king will stretch his hands to collect the fish during the festival. The title of the king of Osogbo was coined from this process of receiving the fish with the hands. Tewogbeja became the title-Ata-Oja.

The Arugba has to be a nubile votary. She volunteers to carrry the calabash, and she keeps her purity. The river goddess in turn grants her wisdom and power; she commands respect from the entire community. A family that produces the Arugba is well respected and seen as a favoured family.

The Osun Osogbo festival runs for two weeks. On the last day of the festival, the nubile votary carries the calash full of food ( moin-moin, eko,and oil) to the river, while the people of the town follow her and say their wishes for the year. When she gets to the river, the sacrifice is sprinkled into the river.

I wonder why the Osun-Osogbo festival is so popular. I guess it is because of the influence of the German turned Yoruba woman, Late Susan Wenger, who values the spirituality of the Yoruba people which is unique to them. She is known for been devoted to the Sango worship and to the shrine at Osogbo. Nigerians do not dance bata better than her white children do. In fact, they know better than we do on matters pertaining to our culture and practices.