By Mustapha Aleem
The annual Osun Osogbo festival has been well identified for being tradition inclined but that outlook is fast changing as it has now incorporated more social programmes to complement the existing ones.
There is no gainsaying the fact that the influx of corporate bodies, like MTN, International Breweries, Schnapps, etc partnering the traditionalist on adding colour to the two-week event has indeed elwvated the status of the event even among non-traditionalist.
Osun habours people of contrasting religious beliefs, which is very conspicuous and by implication, these believers, especially the Muslims and Christians, are compelled to pertake in the not only the grand finale of the festival but also the build up to it, owing to the social activities, which appear too neutral to be rebuffed that are now being lined up.
This is without doubt a question of who gets to resist the ever-thrilling “lamba” of Slimcase, who has arrested the afro-pop scene with his unique stule of “Shaku Shaku”? The sarcastic Femi Adebayo, who virtually everyone would jump at the sight of his latest movie? Even if one is a vice to Jesus Christ or an ally of Prophet Muhammed (SAW), with the consciousness of theses set of stars, Freedom would become the only place to be for those seven days.
Besides, there is a world of goodies that onlookers stand to gain. Sometimes it comes in the mould of raffle draw, bonus-buying, lottery and a host of others.
“At last year’s edition, I was with the guy who won Bajaj motorcycle at the Ataoja’s palace with just a hundred naira ticket. I hesitated and i’m sure I could have won something bigger than a motorcycle if I wasn’t,” Segun, a resident of Osogbo, reminisces.
Before now, precisely six hundred centuries ago, Osun Oshogbo festival’s two week programme of events started with the traditional cleansing of the town called “Iwopopo”.
The lighting of 500 years old sixteen points lamp three days later, called “Olojomerindinlogun” comes after
This is followed by “Ibroriade,” which is the assemblage of the crowns of the past ruler (Ataojas) for blessings and its being led by the Ataoja who is the ruler and votary maid (Arugba) propelled by Yeye Osun, and a committee of priestesses. The Arugba bore the people age-long prayers to the grove in a calabash of effigy which can only be carried by a virgin, which signifies purity.
With globalization and rapid civilization going-on around, it is not out of place that the traditional rites and every other sacrifices done for the sake of the Osun Osogbo festival collaborate with the much talked about artistes in town so that we can have a banging festival embelished with a great deal of “shaku shaku”.
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