The Ataoja of Osogbo, Oba Jimoh Oyetunji (Olaonipekun Larooye II) led the Osogbo cultural heritage council, traditional chiefs, worshippers, devotees, government officials and residents of Osogbo in a symbolic cleansing of the city.

They marched through designated routes after which different age and social groups, communities and titled chiefs paid homage to the king seated in the centre of town.

The occasion, which witnessed drumming, singing and dancing brought the city of Osogbo to a halt for hours as residents trooped out in obeisance, celebrating the flag off of the biggest annual religious festival among the Yoruba race.

Other key activities to mark this year’s Osun Osogbo festival include the lighting of the 500-year-old sixteen-point lamp called ‘Ina Olojumerindinlogun’ slated for Thursday 5th August, ‘Iboriade’, a unique assemblage and display of the crowns of the past Ataojas of Osogbo, for blessings, which will come up on the August 9.

The grand finale of the festival, which is being live-streamed for all local and international audience of Osogbo indigenes, Osun devotees, worshippers and Yoruba culture enthusiasts in diaspora, comes up on Friday, August 13, and it is the sacrificial offering by “Arugba” at the Osun Osogbo Sacred Grove inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2005.

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The festival is an over 600 years old international heritage cultural tourism event celebrated as the annual sacrifice to the Osun River goddess.

A statement released by the Managing Consultant to the Osun Osogbo Festival, Toye Arulogun, on Monday said that the Ataoja of Osogboland, had announced that the two weeks long festival would commence on Monday the August 2, 2021 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’.

The statement further disclosed that Monday, August 9, 2021 is scheduled for ‘Iboriade’, a unique assemblage and display of the crowns of the past Ataojas of Osogbo, for blessings, explaining that the event would be led by the sitting Ataoja of Osogbo, the Arugba, Yeye Osun and a committee of priestesses.

According to the statement, “Friday 13th August will witness the grand finale which is the sacrificial offering by “Arugba” at the Osun Osogbo Sacred Grove inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2005.

“Other activities of the festival which are of immense benefit to the tourism sector of Nigeria include Ifa Arugba, Orun Odo, Ajigun, Ifa Agbalu and Ifa Dida.

“The Osun Osogbo Festival is the biggest annual religious festival among the Yoruba people and serves as a strong unifying factor for indigenes of Osogboland, during which irrespective of the different social, economic, religious and political convictions of the people, they all come together annually to celebrate the festival.

“During the 2021 edition of the Osun Osogbo Festival, local and international worshippers, devotees, spectators and tourists will observe all COVID-19 protocols as was done during the pomp, pageantry, drumming, singing, dancing and celebrations of the 2020 edition,” the statement added.

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The walk will herald this year’s annual Osun Osogbo Festival.

The Ataoja of Osogbo, Oba Jimoh Oyetunji, said on Tuesday that the Walk, a carnival procession of stakeholders around Osogbo, would take off at Better Life, Isale, Osun, Osogbo by 8.00 a.m., adding that other top government functionaries would also be part of the exercise.

He disclosed that traditional rulers, cultural icons, all ethnic nationalities, groups and associations, traders, artisans, market men and women, sons and daughters of Osun had signified their interests to be part of the Walk for Osun, which is one of the several activities lined up to celebrate the annual festival.

According to the monarch, the Walk had become necessary in view of the internal upheavals and security challenges currently facing the country.

He noted that the programme was to promote unity and peaceful cohabitation among all the ethnic nationalities in the state.

Oba Oyetunji said that the protection of Osogbo and Osun State as a whole was among the positive things the Osun Osogbo goddess had bestowed on Osogboland.

He said the Walk would herald the 2019 Osun Osogbo festival with the pre-festival programmes commencing on August 5, 2019, stressing that the festival grand procession to Osun grove would hold on Friday, August 16 and there would also be an all white party and award night afterwards.

The monarch said that pre-festival activities would begin with the traditional cleaning of the city (Iwopopo) on August 5 and the lighting of the mystic 16 points lamp on August 8, while the festival activities would commence on Monday, August 12 with the Assemblage of Crowns (Iboriade).

He added that the Arugba Berth ceremony would hold on August 13, the same day that tourists would have the opportunity of touring the cultural and historical sites in the state.

The activities, according to Oba Oyetunji, would also witness the native Ayo game, football competition finals, Arts and Crafts Fair and children’s fiesta at the palace pavilion on August 14, with the Ataoja’s Chieftaincy Coronation and Osun Festival Tourism forum rounding off the programme on Thursday, August 15.

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