Osun Osogbo is an annual festival that's usually celebrated on August, at Osogbo the capital of Osun state, Nigeria. This famous festival do take two weeks long in celebration while it attracts people within the country and in diaspora to attend and participate. The festival has, over the years, opt into an event that attracts the attention of tourists and visitors from other parts of the world.
According to legend, the festival was borne out of the yearly sacrifice done to celebrate the river goddess, who serves as the protector of the clan. The legend goes thus: about seven centuries ago, when the current Osogbo community was founded. The river goddess assured the people of her protection and promised to bless their women with fruitfulness of they would offer a sacrifice to her annually. The contract was sealed and the sacrifices became medium to appease the goddess.
It is quite unfortunate that many people have heard about Osun Osogbo Festival but are not acquitted with why the sacrifice do take along process of two weeks. Without a doubt, the festival is more than just sacrifices performed to celebrate the Osun River goddess. There are also several activities planned and performed beneath before the due date of the final sacrifice. However, there is a sequence of rituals that kick off the celebrations and they are:
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 Iwopopo ritual is done.
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, who cast their problems on her and say prayers.
Without a doubt, Osun Osogbo is a well known festival that can not be wiped out of history of the world.
Reported by
Adegoke Emmanuel Tosin
No comments:
Post a Comment