Tourists, devotees, and cultural enthusiasts from around the world are flocking to the ancient city of Osogbo to join the festivities marking the grand finale of the annual Osun Osogbo festival.
It has consistently provided a boost to socio-economic activities in the Osun capital and its surrounding areas.
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, moving to the Osun River to fetch water for spiritual purposes.
The state government had, however, warned devotees not to drink the water from the river, as it had been contaminated.
Some masqueraders were chanting incantations while shooting sporadically into the air with their dane guns to the admiration of onlookers.
Security personnel, including those from the NSCDC, Nigerian Police, and FRSC, were positioned at strategic locations within the capital city to ensure law and order, as well as ease human and vehicular movement.
Food and souvenir vendors took advantage of the influx of visitors to make brisk business.
The event, which began on August 1, is expected to conclude on Friday with a young maiden, Arugba, who will carry a calabash on her head as a symbolic offering to the river goddess.
According to Mr. Adekunle Fatai, the curator and site manager of Osun Osogbo Grove, no fewer than 60,000 devotees and tourists are expected to attend the grand finale.
The Osun-Osogbo festival, whose history dates back many centuries, is typically celebrated in an ancient grove believed to be among the last of the sacred forests remaining in Yoruba cities.
In recognition of its global significance and cultural value, the Sacred Grove was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2005.
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 halt the activities of artisanal miners 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 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 who 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 , we will lose our identity and history.
”By promoting our culture, there will be cohesion and unity,” he said.
Adams said the Osun Osogbo festival, which he described as one of the oldest in Yorubaland, serves 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.
