2025 Osun-Osogbo Festival: Why Man Carried Sacred Calabash, Temple Priest Speaks With Legit
- The Osun-Osogbo cultural festival 2025 recently generated controversies following the picture of a male priest carrying the symbolic white calabash known as Igba Osun
- Carrying the Igba Osun is considered the sole responsibility of an appointed votary maid from a popular point of view
- However, Ojoifa Awolowo Faniyi, the Ojùgbọ̀nà Awo of Ọsarosun Temple, Òṣogbo, in an exclusive interview with Legit.ng, gave a clearer explanation, noting that the tradition neither changed nor bent
The 2025 Osun-Osogbo cultural festival has become the topic of the day after the symbolic white calabash, popularly known as Igba Osun, was seen being carried by a male priest, rather than the newly appointed votary maid, often referred to as Arugba.
Traditionally, the role is said to be reserved for a virgin from the royal family, who would be chosen through the Ifa Oracle, and would then lead the procession to the sacred Osun grove.
Source: Twitter
Osun-Osogbo: Why male priest assist Arugba
Speaking exclusively with Legit.ng, Ojoifa Awolowo Faniyi, the Ojùgbọ̀nà Awo of Ọsarosun Temple, Òṣogbo, explained that the tradition neither changed nor bent. He explained that it is part of the tradition to assist the Arugba on their first time to the Osun grove and recalled how his uncle assisted the former Arugba to the Osun grove on her first time.
Faniyi said:
"Firstly, this is the social media era, when we chose the former Arugba, Osuntomi, in 2011, because she carried the calabash in 2012 for the first time. It was my uncle who helped her carry the calabash to the river.
"Mostly, the calabash is not a small load for the first timers, the calabash is not a small load. So, they have to assist the Arugba, being a first timer. By this time next year, she will be the one to carry it. That's the tradition, but people don't bother to know the fact, because they are familiar with the former Arugba. When she first carried it, we assisted her to the river.
"It is just like a newly admitted student into the university; the struggle of moving from one place to another to get familiar with the environment would be tedious, but within a short period of time, such a student gets used to it. So, the tradition still remains the same. Now that she had followed them to the river, by this time next year, she would be able to carry it."
Arugba carries the Osun-Osogbo calabash
Faniyi further explained that another factor which the custodians considered was the fact that the new Arugba was very young and the calabash must not fall; thus, the assistance was necessary.
He disclosed that the new Arugba was the one who carried the calabash from the house to the palace, and she was only assisted when they were on their way to the Osun grove.
He added:
"This girl (new Arugba) is young, the place is overcrowded, and the calabash must not fall. So, to avoid people pushing the young girl. Besides, she still carried the calabash from home to the palace, but when they got to the path of the sacred groove, they had to assist her. So, assisting the Arugba is part of the tradition."
Source: Twitter
Osun Osogbo: History behind the festival
Legit.ng earlier reported that the Osun Osogbo, which started hundreds of years ago, always attracts tourists from all over the world.
During the festival that is held around August, worshippers come into the river to make prayers to the goddess.
A significant part of the festival is the Arugba procession as a girl chosen for that task must reflect purity.
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Source: Legit.ng
