By Editor
The Ataoja of Osogboland, Oba Jimoh Oyetunji, has announced dates for this year’s Osun Osogbo Festival.
Oba Oyetunji, the custodian of the festival, said the annual festival’s grand finale programmes will hold between August 11 and 16, 2019, adding that the pre-festival events have been scheduled for June 16 to August 9, 2019 while the grand procession to the Osun Sacred Groove will hold on August 16, 2019.
The Ataoja at the weekend in Osogbo announced that Esquire Global, a tourism, art and culture consulting firm, has been engaged to market and organise the festival in order to give it a befitting arrangement and structured organisation without having any effect on the traditional rites.
Oba Oyetunji said the healing power of the Osun Osogbo deity remains intact, calling on the people across the country and all over the world to join him in celebrating the Osun festival, the story and origin started over 700 years ago.
The Royal Father said the festival, an international celebration of traditional and cultural events, begins with Iwopopo, the traditional cleansing of the town of evil, on August 5 and after three days, the Ina Olujumerindinlogun, a 600-year-old, 16-point lamp will be lighted on August 8, 2019.
The Osun Festival custodian stated that the grand finale presentation of the celebration of the festival in 2019 will berth with Iboriade, Ataoja’s Crown Assemblage, and FUMAN’s performance day on August 9, 2019, stressing that there will be a State Tour of Historical and Cultural-Tourism sites, the Arugba berth ceremony and dancing, singing as well as drumming event on August 13.
He noted that Ayo Olopon Contest (native Ayo Game), Football Competition Final, Arts and Crafts fair and Children’s Fiesta at the Palace Pavilion hold on August 14, adding that there will be Ataoja’s Chieftaincy Coronation and FTAN’s Osun Festival Tourism Forum on August 15.
Oba Oyetunji pointed out that the Osun Osogbo Festival Grand Procession-Osun Grove, Ataoja’s Royal Invitational Reception, an All White Party and Award Presentation, will come up August 16, 2019, which will also be the date for the closing ceremony.
The Ataoja said that this year’s festival will be another opportunity for the people to benefit from the healing power of Osun River Goddess, assuring that he would continue to uphold the sanctity and sacredness of the Osun deity and the Grove.