The Osun Festival
The Osun Festival
There are many Festivals in Nigeria, some of which date to the period before the arrival of the major religions in this ethnically and culturally diverse society. Does anyone know about The Osun Festival in Nigeria?
The early history of the Oshogbo people is founded on mythical and spiritual beliefs, along the lines of the traditions of the Yoruba people. The Osun River goddess is credited with the founding and establishment of Oshogbo town. Some accounts describe her as Oso-Igbo, the queen and original founder of Oshogbo town. Thus, the Osun Oshogbo festival, which has been celebrated for about six hundred centuries, was built around a relationship between the river goddess, Osun, and the first monarch of Oshogbo kingdom, Oba Gbadewolu Larooye.
Many centuries ago, hunters from a nearby village (Ipole Omu), named Larooye and Olatimehin and their subjects migrated in search of water. They finally settled at a place very near the Osun River in present day Osogbo. Later, Larooye became the first Ataoja (King) of Osogbo, as one of the initial builders of the settlement. These men and their subjects knew nothing about the administration of the goddess of the Osun River. As time passed by, members of the established community were engaged in preparation of grounds for a planting season when a tree fell into the river and a mysterious voice was heard from the Osun River saying: "Larooye, Olatimehin, gbogbo Ikoko Aro mi leti fo tan”, meaning, you have destroyed all my dinning pots. Having heard this mysterious voice, they were afraid for they never knew how the goddess of the river knew their names. After Oba Larooye and other lesser spirits within the community pacified the goddess of the river by saying, “Oso-Igbo pele o, Oso igbo roar”, the ancient city was said to have derived her name from the mysterious voice from the lesser spirit made to pacify the goddess of Osun River, thus Oso-Igbo pele o; Oso-igbo rora, was abbreviated to Osogbo. Same
There are many Festivals in Nigeria, some of which date to the period before the arrival of the major religions in this ethnically and culturally diverse society. Does anyone know about The Osun Festival in Nigeria?
The early history of the Oshogbo people is founded on mythical and spiritual beliefs, along the lines of the traditions of the Yoruba people. The Osun River goddess is credited with the founding and establishment of Oshogbo town. Some accounts describe her as Oso-Igbo, the queen and original founder of Oshogbo town. Thus, the Osun Oshogbo festival, which has been celebrated for about six hundred centuries, was built around a relationship between the river goddess, Osun, and the first monarch of Oshogbo kingdom, Oba Gbadewolu Larooye.
Many centuries ago, hunters from a nearby village (Ipole Omu), named Larooye and Olatimehin and their subjects migrated in search of water. They finally settled at a place very near the Osun River in present day Osogbo. Later, Larooye became the first Ataoja (King) of Osogbo, as one of the initial builders of the settlement. These men and their subjects knew nothing about the administration of the goddess of the Osun River. As time passed by, members of the established community were engaged in preparation of grounds for a planting season when a tree fell into the river and a mysterious voice was heard from the Osun River saying: "Larooye, Olatimehin, gbogbo Ikoko Aro mi leti fo tan”, meaning, you have destroyed all my dinning pots. Having heard this mysterious voice, they were afraid for they never knew how the goddess of the river knew their names. After Oba Larooye and other lesser spirits within the community pacified the goddess of the river by saying, “Oso-Igbo pele o, Oso igbo roar”, the ancient city was said to have derived her name from the mysterious voice from the lesser spirit made to pacify the goddess of Osun River, thus Oso-Igbo pele o; Oso-igbo rora, was abbreviated to Osogbo. Same