Tourists, devotees as well as cultural enthusiasts from across the globe are trooping into the ancient city of Osogbo to join the fiesta marking the grand finale of the annual Osun Osogbo festival.
A correspondent of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) covering the festival reports that it had always given a boost to socio-economic activities in the Osun capital and its environs.
NAN reports that as early as 8.am, many Osun devotees were sighted singing and dancing on major roads in the city centre while others exhibited some cultural artefacts near the Osun grove.
Many devotees were also seen carrying plastic bottles and kegs and moving to the Osun River to fetch some water for spiritual purposes.
The state government had, however, warned devotees not to drink the water from the river as it had been contaminated.
NAN correspondent also sighted some masqueraders chanting incantations while shooting sporadically into the air with their dane guns to the admiration of onlookers.
Security personnel, including those of the NSCDC and Nigerian Police as well as FRSC, were positioned at strategic locations within the capital city to ensure law and order as well as ease human and vehicular movement.
NAN further reports that food and souvenir vendors took advantage of the influx of visitors to make brisk business.
The event, which started on Aug.1 is expected to end on Friday with a young maiden, Arugba, who will carry a calabash on her head as a symbolic sacrifice to the river goddess.
According to the Curator and Site Manager of Osun Osogbo Grove, Mr Adekunle Fatai, no fewer than 60,000 devotees and tourists are expected at the grand finale.
The Osun-Osogbo festival, whose history dates back to many centuries, is usually celebrated in an ancient grove believed to be among the last of the sacred forests still remaining among Yoruba cities.
In recognition of its global significance and cultural value, the Sacred Grove was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2005.
NAN further reports that for the people of Osogbo land, the annual festival symbolises the traditional cleansing of the town and the cultural reunion of the people with their ancestors and founders of the Osogbo Kingdom.
Meanwhile, the Aare Onakankafo of Yorubaland, Chief Gani Adams, has appealed to the Osun government to protect the Osun river from the illegal activities of artisanal miners.
Adams, who spoke on the sidelines of the grand finale of the Osun- festival, said the pollution of the river by the artisanal miners was worrisome.
He called on the government to put an end to the activities of the artisanal miners in order to preserve the sanctity of the sacred grove.
”I want to appeal to the state government to put a stop to the activities of the artisanal miners so as to protect our heritage.
”These artisanal miners are contaminating our heritage and this is dangerous, highly ridiculous and a threat to our tourism and cultural potential,” he said.
Adams, however, expressed the belief that the Osun goddess would protect those who drank the contaminated water during the festival.
“I believe by the power of Osun, anybody that drank the contaminated water will not be affected,” he said.
Adams also called for the promotion of Yoruba culture.
”We must continue to promote our culture because if we refuse to promote our culture, we will lose our identity and history.
”By promoting our culture, there will be cohesion and unity,” he said.
Adams, who described the Osun Osogbo festival as one of the oldest in Yorubaland, said it was one of the ways to promote the rich culture of the Yoruba.
“Osun Osogbo festival is not about religion but rather it is about promoting Yoruba culture,” he said.
