Meet 10-Year-Old Princess Alimot, the Arugba Chosen to Lead 2026 Osun-Osogbo Festival
- 10-year-old Princess Alimot Moredeke Ajoke Osunbunmi was selected as Arugba through the Ifa oracle consultation in March 2025
- The Osun-Osogbo Festival runs from August 7 to 19, 2026, at the UNESCO-listed Osun Sacred Grove in Osogbo
- Despite leading the procession at the 2025 festival, Princess Alimot did not carry the sacred calabash due to her young age
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As the Osun-Osogbo Festival draws closer, a 10-year-old princess has become one of the most talked-about figures surrounding this year's celebrations.
Princess Alimot Moredeke Ajoke Osunbunmi was confirmed as the new Arugba in March 2025, following an Ifa oracle consultation that identified her as the chosen maiden to serve the Osun deity.
Source: Instagram
Her predecessor, Osuntomi Ewatomi, concluded her tenure after getting married, as tradition dictates the Arugba must remain untouched and from royal lineage.
Princess Alimot, who belongs to the Ataoja of Osogbo's royal household, stepped into the sacred role shortly after.
What the Role of Arugba Involves
The Arugba occupies one of the most spiritually significant positions at the Osun-Osogbo Festival.
Within Yoruba tradition, she is regarded as the living bridge between the Osun River goddess and her worshippers, carrying their prayers, sacrifices, and collective hopes to the sacred grove.
The sacred calabash the Arugba traditionally bears during the procession contains ritual offerings presented at the grove during the festival. Her purity is considered central to the spiritual power of the entire ceremony.
The festival itself takes place annually around the Osun Sacred Grove, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Osogbo, and this year runs from August 7 to August 19, 2026.
Source: Instagram
Why She Did Not Carry the Calabash in 2025
At just 10 years old, Princess Alimot is among the youngest girls to hold the title of Arugba in recent memory, and some aspects of her duties have been adjusted to reflect her age.
During the 2025 edition of the festival, she led the procession to the Osun Sacred Grove but did not carry the sacred calabash herself. Baba Osun (Adesina), the male chief priest, took on that responsibility while the young princess walked at the front of the procession.
Traditionalists explained that the arrangement was made in consideration of her age, adding that she is expected to carry the calabash in future editions of the festival as she grows into the full weight of the role.
How netizens reacted
Legit.ng compiled some of the reactions on X as they shared their take on the new Arugba. Read the comments below:
bymbohbam commented:
"Please What date is Osun-Osogbo this year, would really love to attend."
Oba Of Africa said:
"May God bless her and may the ancestors be with her as she proceeds as the next Arugba."
TemiladeGold2 reacted:
"I wish to be there but funds to enjoy there."
Details about lady who allegedly filmed Oloolu masquerade
A young woman simply identified as Wasilat, who appeared in a viral video performing traditional rites at the Oloolu compound in Ibadan, is alive and has returned home to her family, according to a documentary photographer who visited the site.
Ayo Adams, a popular Ibadan-based documentary photographer, disclosed on X (formerly Twitter) on Monday, August 3, that he and a group of people went to the Oloolu compound in the Oremeji area of Ibadan, where the compound's secretary confirmed that Wasilat had gone back to her family and was on the path to recovery.
According to Adams, Wasilat had secretly filmed a crowd gathering at the Oloolu compound. She later told some Ibadan residents that her health had begun to deteriorate, and she attributed the condition to her decision to record the scene.
Source: Legit.ng
