Photos have emerged from the ongoing activities to celebrate the grand finale of the Osun-Osogbo festival with devotees of Osun goddess, tourists, cultural enthusiasts and indigenes seen at the shrine of the god.
The highlight of the grand finale will see a votary maid (Arugba Osun), going to the river with a calabash filled with antiquities to worship the goddess of the river.
Osogbo town and the Palace of Ataoja of Osogbo had been bustling with activities in preparation for the grand finale of the Osun-Osogbo festivity with the state government had declared Aug. 20 as public holidays for the traditional festivity of the Isese celebration.
The Ayo Olopon contest (Native ayo contest) came up on Thursday.
Meanwhile, foreigners who participated in the 2015 edition of Osun-Osogbo Festival have applauded its uniqueness and cultural values.
According to a NAN report, a Japanese, Mrs Aleleo Yoshine, said that Osun-Osogbo festival was traditional in nature and also educate people on the rich culture and tradition of the state.
Yoshine said that most of the festival she had been attending all over the world look artificial but Osun-Osogbo festival looked real and natural.
She said the festival looked real and natural because visitors, tourists and indigenes did respect the norms and values of the River goddess.
“As you can see people going into the river with a calabash filled with antiquities to worship the goddess of the river.I can also see people washing their heads in the river, filling their bottle with water from the Osun River. It shows the respect and belief people have for the goddess of the river and also how they valued their culture,’’Yoshine said.
Another tourist, Mrs Iris Hernandez,an American, lauded the festival, saying that it was different from the festival she had been attending in United State.
According to her, the festival is colorful, full of antiquities and it is so traditional compared to other countries of the world that are artificial.
“I enjoyed my coming to Nigeria; I will like to come again because of the cultural knowledge gained. The festival brings about cultural integration between one country and the others. I met people from different part of the world here at the festival that interests me,’’ Hernandez said.
Below are photos from the venue of the annual festival:
A woman chief priest (m) offers pryers to worshipers at Osun shrine in the palace. Photo: Emmanuel Osodi
Pic 1 Daughters of Osun waiting to pray to their god at the Osun shrine at the palace. Photo: Emmanuel Osodi
Osun worshipers offers prayers to their god. Photo: Emmanuel Osodi
A woman and her children sell prepare beeds for sell in front of the palace: Photo: Emmanuel Osodi
Osun worshippers buys beeds in prepareration of the festival. Photo: Emmanuel Osodi
Worshippers at the shrine. Photo: Emmanuel Osodi
An Osun worshipper during her prayers to the gods. Photo: Emmanuel Osodi
Osun worshippers pose for photograph ofter offering their their prayers at the palace. Photo: Emmanuel Osodi
People waiting to pray. Photo: Emmanuel Osodi
Osun worshippers at the shrine in the palace. Photo: Emmanuel Osodi
The lady that will carry the pot on her head is being escuted by women prists to the palace. ARUGBA GIRL: Photo: Emmanuel Osodi
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