All plans are being put in place by the Ataoja of Osogboland, Oba Jimoh Oyetunji and others to hold the Osun Osogbo Festival 2019 grand procession to the scared Osun Grove on August 16, 2019.
Oba Oyetunji, the custodian of the festival, said that the annual festival’s grand finale programs will hold between August 11 and 16, 2019, adding that the pre-festival events commence from June 16 to Friday, August 9, 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 that 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 that 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 is lighted on Thursday, 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 Monday August 2019, 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 Tuesday, August 13.
He noted that Ayo Olopon Contest (native Ayo Game), Football Competition Final, Arts & Crafts Fair and Children’s Fiesta at the Palace Pavilion hold on Wednesday, August 14, adding that there will be Ataoja’s Chieftaincy Coronation and FTAN’s Osun Festival Tourism Forum on Thursday, 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.
Packaged by Mariam Azeez
