Why Water Contamination From Illegal Mining is Taking Shines Off Osun Osogbo Festival

A significant part of the annual Osun Osogbo festival is being taken off the worship rites this year as water contamination from illegal mining activities in the state has forced the government to stop devotees from drinking from the stream.
Those who believe that the Osun rivers possesses healing power are now being told by the state government that drinking from the river can only bring death until the current level of contamination is cleaned out.
The government’s action, which has sensitized devotees and residents to the health hazards of drinking from the water, was necessitated by the discovery of poisonous elements in the stream.
A non-governmental organisation, the Urban Alert, had last year, called the attention of residents to the presence lead in the water.
Urban Alert’s team leader, Anthony Adejuwon who spoke to journalists in the state capital had said the river cuts across over 20 communities in the state and five other states in the Southwest.
His statement titled, High-Level Chemical Poisoning of Osun River: A Cultural Identity Contaminated and Defaced, reads, “Sometimes in 2018, water in the Osun River, which took its source from Igede-Ekiti, Ekiti State and flows through Ekiti, Osun, Oyo, Ogun and the Lagos States suddenly changed colour from its normal transparent appearance to brown. Initially, residents of Osun State thought the change was a result of a flood, which will only be a temporary issue, but this scary brownish colour has persisted for more than three years without any hope for remediation by the government.
“As an organization driven by facts with a foundation firmly rooted in data, we carried out Geographical Information Analysis and Laboratory Tests to ascertain the cause of Osun River pollution and affirm the elements present in the water. Our scientific examinations revealed that the Osun River is being polluted by the activities of gold miners in some parts of Osun State. A further physicochemical and microbiological test has revealed that the Osun River has been heavily contaminated with mercury, lead, cyanide and other injurious elements.
“No doubt, the harmful contamination of the Osun River due to mining activities has put the lives of over 2million residents of Osun State in danger. Traditionalists, Osun devotees, local and foreign tourists of the Osun-Osogbo Sacred Grove and over 20communities making use of the Osun River are exposed to cancer and other deadly ailments like brain and kidney failure, hearing loss, growth retardation, anaemia, impaired vision, paralysis and death.
“It is disheartening to state that the government at all levels has remained incapacitated, claiming various reasons why it is difficult to end this life-threatening situation whose negative impacts would lead to the death of many in a few years, if not currently happening.
“We are saddened by the destruction of the identity of Osun State, the cultural identity of the people of Osun State and the ecosystem, with no regard for the tradition, business and wellbeing of millions of Osun State residents.
“We, therefore, call on the Federal Government of Nigeria, the Osun State Government, civil society organizations and the international community to save the lives of over 2million residents of Osun State whose lives directly or indirectly depend on the 213km river, which currently houses five (5) water dams, Osun-Osogbo Sacred Grove (UNESCO World Heritage Site and National Monuments).
“We urge all stakeholders to add their voices to Save Osun River to protect the environment, identity, heritage, lives, and generations yet unborn”.
Commissioner for Health in the state, Rafiu Isamotu, had warned on Thursday of the dangers in drinking from the stream, a major part of the festival.
“There are radio jingles on the health hazard of drinking water from the Osun River due to contamination.
“However, this is a cultural thing and no matter how hard you try, some people will not oblige, but we will continue to sensitise them.
“There may not be a quick fix to this pollution, but as a government, we will continue to do the needful.
“Government has taken cognizance of this pollution and working really hard to prevent the activities of artisanal miners.
During the annual festivals, devotees are traditionally seen with water containers which they use to collect the Osun rivers and take home for healing purposes.
It is believed among devotees that the river possesses healing powers and the reason many fetch as much as they can every year.