and celebrating some unique aspect of that community, Thus, the Osun
Oshogbo festival, which has been celebrated for about six hundred
centuries, was built around a relationship between the river goddess,
Osun, and the first monarch of Oshogbo kingdom, Oba Gbadewolu Larooye.
The Osun-Osogbo Grove is among the last of the sacred forests which
usually adjoined the edges of most Yoruba cities before extensive
urbanization. In recognition of its global significance and its
cultural value, the Sacred Grove was inscribed as a UNESCO World
Heritage Sitein 2005.
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 the establishment of 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.
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 a two-week long programme. It starts with
the traditional cleansing of the town called 'Iwopopo', which is
followed in three days by the lighting of the 500-year-old
sixteen-point lamp called 'Ina Olojumerindinlogun'.
Then comes the 'Ibroriade', an assemblage of the crowns of the past
ruler, Ataojas of Osogbo, for blessings. This event is led by the
sitting Ataoja of Osogbo and the Arugba, Yeye Osun and a committee of
priestesses.
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