My journey to osun oshogbo Grove

by Olaoluwa Arowojolu (Nigeria)

I didn't expect to find Nigeria

The Osun-Osogbo Grove is among the last of the sacred forests which usually adjoined the edges of most Yoruba cities before extensive urbanization Every year, the Osun-Osgogbo festival is celebrated in the month of August at the grove. Yearly, the festival attracts thousands of Osun worshippers, spectators and tourists from all walks of life. For the people of Osogbo Land, August is a month of celebration, traditional cleansing of the city and cultural reunion of the people with their ancestors and founders of the Osogbo Kingdom The Osun Osogbo festival is believed to have a history of more than 700 years. Historically, an ancestral occurrence led to the celebration of this festival. Once upon a time, a group of migrating people who were led by a great hunter called Olutimehin settled on the bank of Osun river, to save themselves from famine. At the river side, Osun the goddess appeared from the water in front of Olutimehin and requested him to lead people to a special place (present Osogbo town). The goddess promised to protect all the group and bring them prosperity in return for an annual sacrifice to her. The group accepted the proposition. Today the annual sacrifice to the Osun River Goddess is what is still celebrated as the Osun Osogbo Festival. I was there August 2019 to experience the festival it was fun I met people from a far countries so many sacrifice were made, prayers.one thing that is strange to me was that virgins will carry the Calabash to the shrine and I ask people around why virgin I was told the goddess was a virgin that virgins are ask to carry the Calabash to the shrine another was I saw a lady which the goddess entered spiritually she wasn't normal.i ask again why that happened they said the goddess use the lady to give a message to everyone after giving the message they gave her water from the goddess stream.i noticed there is something special about the steam because people came with keg, cups to take from the steam I asked does it work for anything they said it a miraculous water I had rush to buy a keg to take miraculous water. This are ritual I experience 1. The Iwopopo Ritual: This is a ritual done to cleanse the city from evil. It is done first before the festival starts properly. 2. The Ina Olujumerindinlogun Ritual: This is the traditional ritual that involves the lighting of a 16-point lamp which is believed to be 600 years old. This ritual is carried out three days after the 3. The Iboriade Ritual: The Iboriade ritual is when all the crowns of the past kings - Ataojas - are assembled for blessings by the sitting Ataoja of Osogbo, the Arugba, the Yeye Osun, and a committee of priestesses. 4.The Arugba Ritual: This is one of the major highlights of the festival. A calabash containing the sacrifice materials that would be used to appease and worship the goddess is carried across town by a votary virgin, on her head. As she leads the procession to the river, the people, seeing her as a representative of the goddess, cast their problems on her and say there prayers . Beyond the traditional rites enumerated above, the Osun-Osogbo festival has a lot of other side attractions and activities that make the event a wholesome experience for even first time visitors and tourists. There are trade fairs, games and other fun activities planned out that make it an exciting two weeks of celebration Before our entrance to the courtyard, the Chief priestess was seen appeasing the gods of the river. Seven old women wanted to worship the steam they shouted "Yeye ooo, Omi ooo," she said in Yoruba, meaning "My mother, water" just as a way of reverencing the goddess that resides in the water. On entering the courtyard, we were made to put away our shoes as it nobody was allowed to wear shoes inside the sacred grove, as our cameras were barred from entering the Osun shrine where sacrifices and requests are being made. It had to put my sneakers in my bag not to get stolen it was really fun going there