The Osun Osogbo festival is an occasion of religious observance, in which the people of Osogbo celebrates the significance of the river goddess (Osun) and her mythical deeds. The festival takes place during the second , third and fourth week of august. It commences and ends in the palace of the Ataoja (king of Osogbo).
Preparation for the Osun festival begins with ifa consultation. The consultation is done by the chief Babalawo, awise of Osogbo in the palace of the Ataoja.
The Ifa consultation provides the specific date and particular sacrificial requirements for the year’s celebration. The specific Ifa consultation is restricted to the religious and political hierarchy of Osogbo and Osun worship. After the date has been chosen,the Ataoja’s representative of the goddess officially announces the chosen date and the requirements for the communal offering to Osun and the people of Osogbo. This marks the beginning of the festival.
The announcement is presented as a formal event staged in the centre of town situated at the Osogbo market where the Osun shrine is located. In reaction to the announcement, the Iya ewe (mother of youths) dances around the market collecting token of wares from the market women as a part of their contribution to the ceremony.
The ceremony ends with the citation of praise name of the town, the founders of osogbo, the past ataojas, to the present ataoja, by the praise singers and drummers whom the king and the congregation offers some money as a sort of appreciation. The king then departs with his wives dancing to the drum beats. The congregation leaves after the exist of the royal family.
Acknowledgement: Trip Down Memory Lane, TUN TV
Source: https://www.unilorin.edu.ng/studproj/arts/0715CD066.pdf
The Ifa consultation provides the specific date and particular sacrificial requirements for the year’s celebration. The specific Ifa consultation is restricted to the religious and political hierarchy of Osogbo and Osun worship. After the date has been chosen,the Ataoja’s representative of the goddess officially announces the chosen date and the requirements for the communal offering to Osun and the people of Osogbo. This marks the beginning of the festival.
The announcement is presented as a formal event staged in the centre of town situated at the Osogbo market where the Osun shrine is located. In reaction to the announcement, the Iya ewe (mother of youths) dances around the market collecting token of wares from the market women as a part of their contribution to the ceremony.
The festival officially begins with Popo (spiritual route clearing), which is the physical and ritual clearing of the pilgrimage route from the palace through Obaemu to the grove. This is the first major public event of the Osun festival. This is done by the Ataoja, surrounded by his wives, chiefs, attendants, musicians and guards. The royal horn-blowers lead the way through Osogbo announcing the approach of Ataoja with their instruments. The royal party walks down the streets displaying the Opa-oba (staff of political and religious authority amidst dancing and singing).
During this activity, local rulers as well as the general populace participate in the opening celebration by giving their contribution to the success of the festival in terms of money, foods, beverages e.t.c. also women who have given birth during the intervening year between festivals contribute to and participate in the procession with their babies tied to their back. These women pay homage to the Ataoja singing his praise and that of osun amidst dancing.
During this activity, local rulers as well as the general populace participate in the opening celebration by giving their contribution to the success of the festival in terms of money, foods, beverages e.t.c. also women who have given birth during the intervening year between festivals contribute to and participate in the procession with their babies tied to their back. These women pay homage to the Ataoja singing his praise and that of osun amidst dancing.
The second, third, fourth and fifth days of the festival witness the appearance of masquerades dedicated to their ancestors as well as Sango, the Yoruba’s diety of thunder.
The night of the sixth day of the festival is dedicated to osanyin, a yoruba diety responsible for healing through the knowledge of the use of herbs. On this occasion, a sixteen point lamp is lit using palm oil soaked in cotton wicks. The lamp is lit from seven in the night to seven in the next morning. The ataoja, his wives, followers, traditional chiefs, ifa priest, osun devotees and the arugba (osun bowl carrier) would dance round the sixteen-point lamp(atupa oloju merindinlogun) three times to the admiration of a cross section of the people of osogbo present at the palace. After the dancing round the lamp for the third time, which should be by daybreak, the king dances to the market and before he comes back, the sixteen lamp should have been put off by itself.
The seventh day is dedicated to the ifa priest who dances round osogbo town.
The eight day includes acrobatic performances by naming deities like oya, one of the wives of sango, whom osun was in good terms with her.
On the ninth day, the ataoja and his high chiefs pay complement to his in-law, in a procession that leads from one house to the other.
In a build up towards the grand finale, the tenth day witnesses the laying out of the crowns of the past and present ataoja of osogbo for a rededication to osun. This is called iboriade which takes place at the palace where meetings are normally held. Here, the ataoja worships the crowns, beads, shoes, clothes e.t.c of his predecessors and forebears, making appeasement to osun on their behalf. The ataoja in total submission to the gods is simply dressed on this day, without a crown.The king will then pray for the town which is followed by pouring of the libration by the king. Honey, banana, adun, salt, bitter kola, oti adura, and so on are used for the prayer. The iya osun (osun priest) will then pour the divination kola, after which she pronounce the gods acceptance of the offering and the people present will reply saying praise to osun (iya yeye o). Then the king, chief priest and priestess would prostrate before the crown as a salute to the royal ancestors, as the occasion attempts to invoke the spirits of the ancestors of the ataoja to bestow blessings on the people of osogbo.
The ceremony ends with the citation of praise name of the town, the founders of osogbo, the past ataojas, to the present ataoja, by the praise singers and drummers whom the king and the congregation offers some money as a sort of appreciation. The king then departs with his wives dancing to the drum beats. The congregation leaves after the exist of the royal family.
Acknowledgement: Trip Down Memory Lane, TUN TV
Source: https://www.unilorin.edu.ng/studproj/arts/0715CD066.pdf
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