The River where the river goddess lives
Osun Osogbo is a sacred wilderness along the river banks located in Osogbo town of Osun State, Nigeria.
The people of Osogbo offering their sacrifices by the Osun river bank
Osun Osgogbo festival is celebrated once a year, around August at the forest/ shrine arena. Once a year, the festival calls the attention of various tribes both home and abroad. Diverse of worshippers, spectators and tourists come to the river (Osun Osogbo) to request for whatever they need with a certain promise(s) and the subsequent will come to offer praises with their promise(s) at the shrine.
The Agba-Oje (Leaders) of the Osun Osogbo, in preparation of the rites to the river goddess
The Ifa priest and other high priest across the town on their way to the shrine
The eight month of the year is always a special festival period in Osogbo Land, traditional atonement of the city and cultural engagement of the people with their founders and priests of the Osogbo Kingdom.
Oba Alayeluwa (The king of Osogbo) and his Queen and other special guest of honor
Salutation of the Obinrin Ilu to his royal majesty and other dignitaries present at the event
Osun Osogbo is well recognized by most people in Nigeria and it is a day where lots of special personalities come across the nation to celebrate. Below are some of the special guest of the occasion.
The Osun Osogbo festival has being in existence for over than 700 years ago. History has it that this festival was as a result of a certain ancestral occurrence. Longtime ago, a group of people migrated by the leadership of a great hunter by the name Olutimehin. They settle by the bank of Osun river, to rescue their people from famine. At the river side, Yeye Oluweri Magbojo (the goddess of the river) usually appear to Olutimehin and will ordered him to direct people to a specific area (the new Osogbo town). The goddess protect all the people and prosper them and their crafts as promised in return for a yearly sacrifice to her. It was approved by the people.
This is the Arugba (The calabash carrier)
The Arugba is a virgin lady who will carry a sacrificial calabash. This calabash can only be taken across the town by a virgin lady because is sacred and it's a taboo for non-virgin to carry it. The lady will carry the calabash to different places in the town.
The Awo's (Cult members) of the town
These cult members are responsible for the coordination of sacrifices. They will present most of the needed ritual rites
More interesting activities and cultural display of the..
The Eyo's (masquerade from Eko)
Iya Oloosa (The woman is responsible for the preparation of the sacrifice that the Arugba is going to carry across the town)
The sacrifice ingridients
This is one of the shrine's statue
This is the dog that was sacrificed to gods on the platform of sandy stone, indicating that the dog was sacrificed to Satan. As you can see beside it is palm wine and other ingredients used in honoring Esu Lalu Ogiri Oko (Devil) in Yoruba land
