Last week was particularly busy for tourists and people who cherish tradition and culture of the people of Osogbo in particular as different people from all walks of life were there for the annual world acclaimed Osun Osogbo festival. The festival which attracted very large crowd, as the Osun Osogbo which has become one of the UNESCO heritage sites climaxed on Friday 21st August, for the grand finale of the week long activities. The grand finale of this year Osun Osogbo was celebrated with funfare despite the economic situation in the country and in the state particularly. It was also a marked departure from last year’s which was celebrated amidst outbreak of Ebola virus in the country. To prevent the spread of the virus, the government restricted the movement at the Osun groves to only the worshippers. Prior to that event, friends and families of Late Susan Wenger celebrated her posthumous 100 years birthday as various peoples in attendance showered praises and encomium on her. Praises andencomium The white Priestess of Osun River, Late Susanne Wenger, popularly called Adunni Olorisa, was described as a woman of culture and traditional values because of her outstanding contribution towards the development and promotion of Osun- Osogbo’s Sacred Grove before its enlistment as a World Heritage Site. The Director General, National Commission for Museums and Monuments, Yusuf Abdallah Usman, affirmed this during the 100 years Posthumous birthday of late Wenger and 10th year enlistment of Osun-Osogbo Sacred Grove as a United Nation Economic, Scientific and Cultural Organisation, UNESCO World Heritage site. Represented by the UNESCO Director, Mr Funso Oluremi, Usman described late Wenger as a woman of different interpretations, saying; ‘’She was a great artist, culturalist, spiritualist and philanthropist, who devoted her life to serving nature, culture and people.’’ Recalling that the Australia born late Wenger died in 2009 at the age of 93, Usman said her works in Osun-Osogbo Grove was the beginning of the monumental growth and the success achieved in the grove. He stressed that the largeness of Wenger’s personality and contributions to humanity will continue to unfold over the years and to up-coming generations, promising that the NCMM will continue to protect and conserve her artistic works. In his remarks, Ataoja of Osogbo, Oba Jimoh Oyetunji Olanipekun, Larooye 11, said late Wenger would for ever be remembered by Nigeria, especially Osogbo, for her contribution to the development of custom and tradition. The royal father, who expressed dissatisfaction about the way Yoruba culture is going into extinction, urged the people of Osogbo to support Osun festival and ensure that the grove becomes a world heritage site like Medina in Saudi Arabia. Present at the posthumous remembrance are the children of late Adunni Olorisa, Sangodare Ajala and Mrs Doyin Faniyi. Others are, representatives of Australia, Robin and Hugh Campbell, Chief Muraina Oyelami, among others. Governor Rauf Aregbesola, who was represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Moshood Adeoti, said the state would do everything to generate fund from the festival. The Ataoja of Osogbo, Oba Jimoh Olanipekun, expressed gratitude to sponsors of the festival, saying the it is now recognised all over the world. The down side: The festival’s down side was that the usual rain that normally accompany the Osun Osogbo Festival in Osun State refused to fall this year giving room to speculations that something may be amiss spiritually. It has been the tradition that the rain, christened the king, must be quenched by rain from the palace to the grove. However, instead of rain, it was sun this year. This development has been viewed differently. Although, it had not rained much in the town in recent times, the sun that accompanied this year’s Osun Festival was surprising because it lasted till almost 7 pm.

1oyears of idol worshiping? May God 4giv all of nna.......

toltee4real:
1oyears of idol worshiping? May God 4giv all of nna.......

You are very stuupid

I was there all the way from the US. I had a great time.