The Origin Of Osun Osogbo Festival

The Osun Osogbo festival is held in Osogbo, Osun state, southwest Nigeria, it is to celebrate a river goddess, Osun. The groove covers 75 hectares of ring- fence forest, alongside the Osun river in the outskirts of Osogbo town, western Nigeria. The groove in Yoruba cosmology is the domicile of  oosun, the goddess of fertility.

Osun is the Yoruba personification of the ‘water of life’ and the spiritual mother of Osogbo Township. It is a scared forest. Said to be and believed by some of its worshipers as the residence of the fertility goddess. Osun, the forest itself is full of shrines, works of art, sanctuaries and sculptures. The bulk of these offering are devoted to Osun, but many exist in reverence of other deities within the Yoruba pantheon as well. Within osun it is the sacred groove, an area of immense spiritual importance. The goddess is said to give properity and protection to her people if they built a shrine to her and respected the spirit of the forest. 

According to one version of history, founders of Osogbo, who were hunters migrated from their previous settlement because of death of potable water, in the cause of their search for water, they came to the Osun groove and settle around the groove. In the process of cutting weeds and trees to get water, one of the trees fell on a pot belonging to the goddess. This angered the Osun goddess and she lamented seriously. The hunters appeased her and pledged annual sacrifice.

In another more acceptable version, it was believed that the goddess of the river was a living being, and the annual festival was to adore and appreciate her for her covenant which she never breaks. The Osun Osogbo festival started within the groove in 1370AD, when Oba Olarooye and his subjects settle at Ojubo, a place that is now called Osun temple. Oba Larooye set up the first palace at Osun shrine.

In the 13^th century, something 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 saying “Oso igbo pele o, oso igbo roar o,” meaning she should keep calm over the unfortunate incident, and that was how the name of Osogbo was derived.

The goddess of Osun then advised the communiti to move to the other side of the river and they obeyed and moved to “Ontoto” where they established another palace, and a flourishing market. While they were at “Ontoto” Olutimehin, the great hunter went on hunting expedition and suddenly saw spirits within the groove dancing round a 16-point lamp. He saw the lamp through incantations and brought it back to the palace to show Oba Larooye, the then Ataoja of osogbo.

When the goddess of the river heard about the seizure of the lamp, he invited Oba Larooye and Olutimahin the great hunter, and told them that the fact that the lamp was seized was not a problem, but they must be sure they celebrate the lighting of the lampnine days to the grand finale of Osun festival and the lamp must be on from 7.00pm till dawn.

The Ataoja, the traditional ruler of osogbo land, with all princes and princesses of osogbo, are expected to dance round the 16 point lamp three times before the day breaks, during the dance, the lamp will be put off by the traditional chief called Baale Oba. The chief will keep the lamp till the following year. The Ataoja will dance round the market with his chiefs before returning to the palace. The goddess of Osun River also presented a calabash containing some antiquities to Oba Larooye and Olutimehin. The goddess instructed that a young virgin selected 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 (yeye osun) must hold the calabash to welcome a messenger know as “Iko”

Both the monarch and priestess must hold a parrot feather at the head to welcome the messenger, who is believe to be sent annually by the goddess of Osun,

This messenger will pour curative water into the calabash held by the priestess and the monarch, and it is believe that any barren who drink out of the curative water will be bless with a child or children the following year, the water also cure all form of ailments.

The festival which began since 1370 AD continued till now with pomp and ceremonies. All indigenous of osogbo from all parts of the world come home every year to honor the goddess and make their requests know to her.

Since then, osogbo has remained a peaceful, progressive and benevolent city without war or pestilence. This pact which is rekindled in August every year is the foundation of a cultural fiesta that has catapulted itself into world recognition as on of the largest tourist attractions in Nigeria.

The Annual Osun-osogbo festival is held once a year around August. The groove is seen as the reposition of kingship, as well as the spiritual heart of the community. The festival invokes the spirits of the ancestor kings and rededicates the present Oba to osun, as well as reaffirming and renewing the bond between the deities represented in the sacred groove and the people of Osogbo.

The festival has a two week programme of events starting with the traditional cleansing of the town called “Iwopopo”. This is followed by the lighting of 500 year old sixteen point lamp three days later, called “Olojumerindinlogun.” The assemblage of the crowns of the past ruler (Ataojas), “Iboriade,” for blessings led by the Ataoja who is the traditional ruler. The finale of the festival is a processing of the whole city, led by the maid, Arugba, propelled by Yeye Osun, and the committee of priestesses headed by the Oba and priest, all accompanied by the drumming, singing and dancing. The Arugba takes the people age-long prayers to the groove in a calabash which can only be carried by a virgin, which signifies purity. The calabash is filled with food such as moin-moin (baked bean), eko (baked millet) and oil to the river, while the people of the town follow her and pray for their wishes for the year. The Arugba volunteers to carry the calabash, and keeps her purity. The river goddess in turn grants her wisdom and power. The Arugba commands the respect of the entire community for that role.

Year in year out, the Osun Osogbo festival attracts a mammoth crowd, with unprecedented list of eminent personalities gracing the festival which is celebrated at the shrine, in the outskirts of the capital of Osun State.