The Osun Osogbo pageant is likely one of the oldest festivals in Nigeria. It’s been practised for therefore a few years. And this custom is being handed down from technology to technology. The importance of a pageant is in its continuity. This has awarded the Osun-Osogbo pageant as probably the most celebrated ritual within the Southwest. Undoubtedly, festivals are intricate social occasions you wish to be part of. It covers a interval when individuals and organizations are engaged in a variety of actions in numerous places. In Nigeria, festivals play a major position in marking historical past and tradition. Though, the earliest historical past of the communities the place cultural festivals are celebrated could also be discovered within the majority of African nations.
Nonetheless, conventional pageant celebrations function events for cultural evaluation. This offers room for individuals to recall important moments of their communities’ previous and devise modifications the place essential. Past pleasure, drums and dancing, cultural festivals are a standard method so that you can study Yoruba communities.
The place is Osun-Osogbo positioned?
Osun-Osogbo is positioned within the Southwestern area of Nigeria. It’s about 4 hour drive from Nigeria’s business capital-Lagos. Osun Osogbo is positioned in Osun State. The state is thought to be the founding house of the Yoruba. It’s the location of Ile Ife. The founding house of the progenitor of the Yoruba race.
The origin of the Osun-Osogbo Pageant
The annual Osun Osogbo pageant is a two-week-long celebration that features twelve days of rituals, leisure and cultural preservation. The primary pageant was recorded 700 years in the past. The origin of the Osun-Osogbo pageant is linked to the outstanding position performed by the Osun goddess within the institution and settlement of Osogbo.
The Osun goddess is extremely revered because the goddess of fertility, giver of prosperity, goddess of youngsters, a healer and a diviner by the Osun individuals. Girls anticipating youngsters typically attend the pageant to hunt fruit of the womb.
A very long time in the past, after the ancestors of Osogbo found a brand new colony, they determined to liberate and develop the areas. All they’d in thoughts was a habitation for themselves and their descendants.
Nevertheless, within the means of doing this, they got here in contact with the “Oso Igbo” which implies wizard of the forest. This occurred when the ancestors cleared out a portion of land. A tree was lower down and it dropped on the river. It was recorded in historical past that the goddess was offended due to this and determined to seem to the wrongdoers.
As a method to appease the goddess of the river for the distortion, the ancestors of Osogbo determined to supply a sacrifice. Fortunately, the river goddess acquired the sacrifice and made a pact with the individuals of Osogbo.
One other notable prevalence was the consultant that the goddess despatched to the individuals of Osun. This messenger got here in type of a fish and it was acquired on the palms of the standard ruler at the moment.
The settlement was that the sacrifice could be performed yearly. In return, the Osun goddess promised to help and shield the inhabitants of Osun-Osogbo. The directions got to the individuals of Osogbo as a situation for his or her progress, wealth, security and institution. The inhabitants of Osun have since stored their a part of the deal. Conventional rulers which have emerged, proceed to supply sacrifices to the Osun goddess yearly.
Location of Osun-Osogbo Pageant, The Osun Osogbo Sacred Grove
With a historical past courting again a number of centuries, the Osun-Osogbo Grove is likely one of the final remaining sacred forests in Nigeria. Sacred groves beforehand bordered most Yoruba settlements earlier than widespread civilization. This has led to the destruction of most sacred groves.
The Osun Osogbo Sacred Grove was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Website in 2005 in recognition of its significance on a worldwide scale and its cultural significance. It is likely one of the two UNESCO world heritage websites in Nigeria.
The Osun-Osogbo Grove was profaned within the Fifties when grove shrines had been disregarded and monks left the world as conventional obligations and punishments decreased. Because of Susanne Wenger who introduced again the glory of this as soon as wonderful heritage.
Date of The Osun Osogbo Pageant
The date for the Osun Osogbo pageant is normally celebrated in August yearly.
Outstanding Happenings on the Osun Osogbo Pageant
Regardless of the presence of different ancestral festivals in Osogbo, the Osun-Osogbo pageant is the most well-liked and distinctive in your entire area. So as to add to this, the celebration is especially well-liked not simply among the many Yoruba tribe in southwest Nigeria, however additionally it is globally famend. It ought to be famous that the Osun pageant is an orderly ceremony. Due to this fact, you could perceive the idea of the occasion and all there may be to this distinctive apply. The pageant is attended by vacationers from completely different nations of the world,
Listed below are the exceptional occasions that happen on the pageant and all it is best to find out about them;
The street cleaning sacrifice
The Osun Osogbo pageant opens yearly in August with a street cleaning sacrifice- ‘Iwó Pópó’. It is a duplicate of the historic path clearing that occurred years in the past.
This taking place begins with the standard clearing of the undesirable vegetation and bushes alongside the central path of the group. It’s essential to stop something that may impede the influx of holiday makers to Osogbo and demonstrates ancestral safety. As soon as that is accomplished, the Osun pageant can start in its full glory.
Majorly, all of the acts carried out on the pageant are repetitions of the occasions that occurred in Osogbo years in the past.
The position of the Conventional ruler- Ataoja, Osun priest and priestess
It should be talked about that the sacred rituals of the Osun Osogbo pageant re-establish the non secular union and renew the pathway between the goddess and the individuals of Osogbo.
The Ataoja is the title of the standard ruler in Osogbo. It’s the quick type of ‘Atéwógbeja’. This implies the palms stretched out to obtain the fish. I discussed this within the historical past of the Osun pageant. The king is the one who seeks the blessings of the Osun goddess on behalf of the individuals and his kingdom.
Therefore, the ritual is carried out in secrecy by the Ataoja and the Osun monks and priestesses. It takes place throughout the sanctuary on the Osun grove. The monks are the eyes of the goddess. You will need to have seen the way in which a mediator tries to make peace between two individuals. Effectively, that’s precisely what the monks do on the Osun Osogbo pageant.
The monks and the king each enter the interior components of the sacred grove. Right here, the king sits on an historic stone and communicates with the goddess. The Ataoja prays for peace, safety steady help, progress and enlargement of the Osun-Osogbo group.
After doing this, the king feeds the objects of the ritual to the goddess. As soon as that is accepted with none downside, it implies the principle accomplishment of the pageant.
The one who carries the sacrifice- Arugba
The Arugba is a selected noble virgin that bears the sacrifice. The selection of a virgin explains the sacredness of the apply.
The number of a royal virgin is completed in response to the directions given by the Osun goddess. To take care of the sanctity of the pageant, the maiden is chosen beforehand and ready for the duty forward. Her duty is to make sure that the calabash that comprises the ritual objects is safely guarded. The Arugba does this by carrying the calabash on her head.
Equally, she is escorted by ‘Olose’, a bunch of able-bodied males, that is to maintain the bulging crowd away. With an emphasis on the profitable completion of the ritual, nothing should occur to the calabash. It will robotically damage the essence of the pageant. If the calabash touches the bottom or breaks whereas with the Arugba, it’s a signal of dangerous luck.
Additionally, the Arugba should not strike a foot in opposition to a stone or stub. If this occurs, the individuals of Osun get a harmful indication. This trace may imply that the sacrifice won’t be accepted or the goddess is offended.
To place issues in place, regardless that lots of people accompany the Arugba, she should additionally take duty for the position. The calabash should get to the sacred grove, after which the Ataoja- the standard ruler takes it up from there.
The lighting of Atupa Olójúmérìndinlógún (the sixteen-point lamp)
The lighting of the traditional lamp also called the Atupa Olojumerindinlogun might be translated as loosely because the lamp with the sixteen lighting factors.
Historical past of the Atupa Olójúmérìndinlógún
Nice tales have been recounted from technology to technology. You need to know that storytelling is part of the Yoruba tradition.
The historical past of the Àtùpà Olójúmérìndinlógún is traced to an excellent hunter and one of many co-founders of Osogbo known as Olutimehin. He was reported to have gone on a looking journey. Olutimehin the hunter noticed spirits of the forest dancing and celebrating a lamp with 16 steps. Fairly fascinating to him, he grabbed the lamp and introduced it again with him to Osogbo.
This lamp which has been current for 500 years has sixteen factors. It’s manufactured from brass and the sixteen pots are the spots on which palm oil and cotton are positioned.
The historical past of the Osogbo individuals is preserved by the spectacular lamp celebration occasion that takes place through the pageant.
The celebration of the Àtùpà Olójúmérìndinlógún
The celebration of the lamp comes up 9 days to the top of the pageant as directed by the Osun goddess. The lamps are lighted on Thursday night after sundown and stored burning until dawn on Friday. An important apply that should be performed every week earlier than the grand finale of the Osun pageant.
On this present day, the Ataoja, his wives, attendants, the Osun priestess and different Osun devotees dance across the lighted lamp thrice. This accompanies the prayers and chants contained in the Osun shrine on the Ataoja’s palace.
Afterwards, the Ataoja, accompanied by his kinfolk and conventional chiefs are additionally anticipated to bop across the market sq. earlier than he lastly returns to the palace. Hunters lead the procession and are seen firing rifle photographs within the air constantly. Then, the sound of drums, singing and dancing accompany the ceremony. This is likely one of the explanation why it is a wonderful ceremony.
One other nice a part of the Osun Osogbo pageant to be dealt with by the Ataoja is the gathering of crowns of previous rulers and their wives for prayers. The Iboade is essential and is believed to help the current king so he won’t make the errors his forefathers made. Additionally, the blessings that earlier rulers have loved are launched to the brand new king by advantage of this nice ritual.
Susanne Wenger- Glory restored to the grove
Susanne Wenger is an Austrian citizen who left her nation to totally dedicate her life to Osun Osogbo grove. Earlier than Susanne Wenger, conventional restrictions in opposition to prohibited actions together with fishing, looking, and tree felling within the grove had been reinstated. This was in tune with the backing and encouragement of the reigning Ataoja at the moment, in addition to the backing of the fearful residents.
Wenger “based the New Sacred Artwork motion to confront land speculators, fend off unlawful actions, safeguard shrines, and begin the prolonged means of bringing the sacred website again to life by reestablishing it because the sacred core of Osogbo”
Wenger who died in 2009 later earned the title “Adunni Olorisha” in recognition of her diligent caretaking and steadfast devotion to the sacred grove’s.
The Osun River and the Osun supporters
The Osun devotees come from all around the world to witness this nice occasion. These individuals are among the many crowds you’ll meet on the pageant. It’s fairly straightforward to establish them as they’re those who sing, reward the goddess, dance and have fun the success of the ritual.
Additionally, completely different historic poems and songs are recited in reward of the Osun goddess. As well as, there are claims that the Osun River is extremely therapeutic. It’s recognized for its therapeutic and restorative powers. Instantly the river has been blessed by the providing of sacrifice, the water is said match.
Consequently, anybody who needs to drink, bathe or fetch the water to be used is allowed. The Osun river is believed to have potent treatments for extreme illnesses. Yeye Osun is the goddess of fertility. The queen mom provides youngsters with out holding them again. That is why barren girls additionally use the chance to hunt youngsters on the river.
Asides from the entire above, the goddess is believed to be highly effective and offers super wealth. Due to this fact, members on the pageant are seen providing prayers in response to their coronary heart wishes.
Osun pageant contests and leisure
The foremost contests that happen on the Osun pageant are the sweetness pageantry and Ayo Olopon.
The pageant is an impressive file for the Osun state authorities. A number of organizations additionally sponsor these competitions and award prizes to the winners.
One of many corporations which have contributed to the success of the Ayo Olopon contest is Seaman Schnapps. Through the years, the corporate has continued to help and in addition create consciousness with their involvement within the pageant.
Ayo Olopon is a neighborhood recreation tremendously cherished by the Yoruba individuals. It’s performed by youths and elders. The sport might be performed by two contestants at a time. It’s a recreation of calculations, abilities and focus.
Nonetheless, the individuals of Osogbo undertake this as a way to entertain themselves on the pageant and in addition admire tradition.
Equally, there may be the sweetness pageantry contest the place not less than 20 younger women are chosen to compete. These women are fantastically wearing native attires and are made to parade the stage.
After competing in opposition to one another, the ‘Omidan Osun’ also called Miss Osun is chosen. The number of the Omidan is usually primarily based on information, poise and sweetness.
In a method to have fun traditions earlier than civilization, famend musicians just like the JuJu, Apala, Fuji singers additionally grace the occasion. Alternatively, this doesn’t exclude masquerades from popping out to bop and entertain the company.
The worldwide celebration of the Osun Osogbo Pageant
Lastly, I would like so as to add that the celebration of the Osun Osogbo pageant welcomes everybody each house and overseas. This serves as an avenue for the city to showcase its wonderful cultural heritage. The sights, markets, indigenous delicacies, tradition and traditions of Osogbo are showcased for all to see. Individuals come from completely different nations resembling the USA of America, Europe, South Africa, Asia, Brazil, Austria, Trinidad and Tobago and so forth to take part on this nice occasion. For Nigeria’s tourism business, the pageant is extremely useful. It makes it potential for the locals to advertise their tradition to guests from all around the world and from throughout the nation.
Acknowledged corporations resembling MTN, Nigerian bottling firm, Seaman, Fuman and so forth have sponsored the occasions at some extent. As well as, the annual celebration of the river goddess, often called the Osun-Osogbo pageant, acts as a potent unifying power in Osogbo territory, bringing collectively individuals of all social, financial, spiritual, and political persuasions.
Osun Osogbo pageant has remained one of many notable festivals in Nigeria.
