Osun Osogbo Cultural Festival ’ s Grand Finale Holds Today

The ancient city of Osogbo is brimming with cultural festivities and excitement as preparations hit top gear for the grand finale of this year’ s Osun Ososgbo Cultural Festival holding today at the Osun Grove , a World Heritage Site .

The yearly festival is expected to attract hundreds of visitors from across the country and outside its shores especially Osun devotees and cultural enthusiasts that throng the capital city of Osun State annually to partake of the cultural religious feast .

Leading the celebration is the Ataoja of Osogbo , Oba Jimoh Adetunji , Olanipekun Larooye 11 with the governor of the state , Rauf Aregbesola leading a host of the state government functionaries while the Minister of Information and Culture , Alhaji Lai Mohammed , is the special guest of honour with Dr . Mike Omotosho , who is the Emeritus Governor of Rotary International as chairman of the event .

According to the chief festival administrator, Otunba Ayo Olumoko , who is also the managing director of Infogem Limited , this year ’ s grand finale would be colourful and exciting as well witness a benefiting and rousing celebration by the people of Osogbo who attached a lot of importance to the festival .
He informed that with the new infrastructure put up at the grove that visitors and celebrants would savour a lot cultural and artistic entertainment by the various groups under a peaceful and convivial atmosphere as all the necessary logistics have been put in place to ensure a successful event even as he assured of a booming commercial atmosphere , which for years has been associated with the festival .

The about two weeks festival commenced early in the month with both traditional and modern activities with the Iwopopo ceremony , the cleansing of the ancient city , heralding the array of traditional activities marking the festival , which has been dabbed as one of the most enduring and richest festival in the western part of the country.

This event was later followed by the lighting of the over 500 -yearold sixteen - point lamp called Olojumerindinlogun then the Ibroriade , an assemblage of the crowns of the past rulers of Osogbo among other celebrated activities, which would climax tomorrow , Friday with the grand finale .
At the end of the cultural festival at the grove the Atoka would host invited guests to a reception at the palace while the people at their various homes and entertainments spots across the city continue with the merry making with a musical concert billed for the night closing out the celebration.

Source: New Telegraph