Devotees in their thousands are trooping into Osogbo the Osun State capital for this year’s festival.
Residents in the city were woken up to traditional songs and dancing as the ceremonies heralding the Osun -Osogbo festival started
The Osun-Osogbo cultural group in a motorcade moved around the metropolis to herald the beginning of the Osun-Osogbo festival.
The road leading to the Ataoja’s palace at Oja-Oba also witnessed high vehicular movement as visitors including international tourists to the festival stopped by to pay homage to the traditional ruler, Oba Jimoh Olanipekun, the Ataoja of Osogbo.
Major routes to the Osun groove were spotted with traditional decorations and pictorial images of the Osun goddess.
Sponsors of the Osun Osogbo festival including Seaman Schnapps and producers of Goldberg larger beer also dotted the palace premises and the routes to the groove with billboards, banners and posters welcoming visitors to the festival.
Speaking with one of the devotees, Bose Ifayewa, told NAN that she believed the event would go smoothly when the Arugba carries the calabash and heads to the Osun river.
Ifayewa said that the 2022 festival was unique, looking at the level of preparations.
Also, Mr Abass Irewole, another devotee, said that the festival was to further strengthen the relationship between the deities and humans.
Irewole also urged other devotees in Osun and other parts of the world to come out and celebrate the Arugba when she comes out to carry the calabash down to the Osun river.
NAN reports that the Osun Osogbo festival, which is a 600-year-old international heritage, holds annually with the Arugba sacrificing to the Osun River Goddess.
NAN