Festival
By uncovered.ng
Osogbo, (Osun,) Nigeria, Aug. 3, 2022 – The yearly Osun Osogbo festival commenced with its rites on Monday, as it started with the traditional road cleansing known as “Iwopopo”.
The traditional rites entails the Royal father of the land, the Ataoja of Osogbo, Oba Jimoh Oyetunji Olanipekun Larooye II and his Chiefs, as well as his wives, walking from the palace square at Oja-Oba to Gbaemu Junction where the forbearer prayed for guest and visitors to have a safe trip to the state capital for the festival.
The Royal father while praying for intending visitors and worshippers for safe trip to the festival, called on the state government to invest in the festival, he described the Osun Groove featuring the Osun Osogbo Festival, a major tourist attraction site.
The year 2022 Osun Osogbo Festival will also feature the lighting of the 500-year-old six-point lamp called ‘Atupa oloju merindinlogun’ which comes up three days after the cleansing of the land: Iwopopo which occured on Monday August 1.
Governor Adegboyega Oyetola of Osun State, who was represented at the Iwopopo by the Commissioner for Regional Integration and Special Duties, Mr Olalekan Badmus said government was committed to revamping tourism in the state as a major area for revenue generation
Bibo Ade Oba Osogbo’, meant to honour past kings of Osogbo is slated for August 8.
Dida Ifa arugba’, where a young virgin woman (arugba) of a royal lineage, offers sacrifices to the deity will also hold.
The festival grand finale which will feature the ‘Osun Ajigun’, where the Arugba will make rites to the diety amidst prayers from worshippers as they all head down to the groove will hold on August 12.
The worship of Osun, the Yoruba goddess of fertility is believed to renew the contract between humans and deities.
uncovered.ng reports that the famous Osun Osogbo festival normally attracts huge tourists from all parts of the world, to the ancient town of Osogbo.
