The grand finale of the Osun Osogbo International Festival, 2010, which took place last Friday, August 27, recorded a clear cut landmark. This clearly showed that the festival has come to stay, being the cynosure of all eyes in the tourism world globally.

The packaging and the organisation of the festival were laudable, and it attracted distinguished Nigerians home and abroad, and foreigners.

The traditional rites of the Arugba and yeye Osun were done amidst heavy drum beating, songs, dancing, and cane wielding with young men beating the hell out of one another and gun-shooting.
Clean Osun Osogbo festival

Suffice it to say that the Osun goddess decided to celebrate in a clean environment, by ensuring that rain did not fall, unlike last year when the goddess of Osun decided to celebrate the festival dirty. According to tradition, whenever it rains during the festival, it means that Osun has decided to go dirty.

Rain of encomiums on late Ataoja
The festival was held for the first time without an Ataoja on the throne. Hence,  it was also used to bid a final goodbye to the late Oba Iyiola Oyewale Matanmi, who died on August 4. Rains of encomiums were showered on the late Ataoja in recognition of the immense role he played to keep the tradition and the celebration of Osun Osogbo festival, and to ensure peace, unity and progress in the community and the state.

Due homage was paid to the late Oyewale, who was represented by the chair he used to seat on, with his staff and crown on the seat. Among those who paid homage to the monarch were the Olomooba (the princes and princesses), which included the Osun State governor, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola; the Iyalodes, led by Mrs Alake Kolade; the Ilumoyes (high chiefs); the Baloguns; the Oluode; the ayabas, showing the complementarity of life; the Oluawos and Iyadudu, mentioning a few.
Low turnout

The turnout of domestic tourists in this year’s festival was not as massive as last year’s. This, according to some local tourists, was due to the ongoing Ramadan. Mr. Adewale Alatise, simply said: “Many did not attend the festival because of the ongoing Ramadan, unlike last year when the festival did not coincide with fasting.”

However,  also in attendance were blacks in the diaspora, who had been in Osogbo since last weekend to attend the Conference of Black Nationalities and the Colloquium on Slavery, Slave Trade and Their Consequencies, hosted by the state government with the support of the UNESCO and the Federal Government.

Tourism Minister to upgrade Osun Osogbo
The Minister of Culture, Tourism and National Orientation, Alhaji Sadiq Mohammed, who has been committed to the propagation of the Nigerian tourism and culture within and outside the country, was represented by the Director, Domestic Affairs of Tourism, Mr Bamidele Shobayo.

Impressed by the organisation and packaging of the festival, the minister commended the Osogbo Cultural Heritage Council for projecting the festival over the years.

Mohammed, however, charged stakeholders in the hospitality industry in Osun State to liaise   and cooperate with the industry’s regulatory bodies.

He promised to further upgrade the festival and develop the groove, making it more attractive to both domestic and foreign tourists.

We place premium on tourism development - Gov Oyinlola
Governor Olagunsoye  Oyinlola, whose efforts at promoting tourism and cuture in the state cannot be over-emphasised,  has disclosed that his administration would always place premium on the growth of the tourism sector, which is pivotal to promoting international understanding.

He added that he will explore the sector to generate employment, foreign exchange and create socio-cultural integration and goodwill among nations.

While pledging the commitment of his administration to making the state one of the world’s foremost cultural destinations, Governor Oyinlola called on investors in cultural tourism to come to the state.

He also explained that the determination of his administration to accord priority to tourism and culture informed its decision to sponsor the just-concluded Global Conference of Black Nationalities and the Colloquium on Slavery.

NTDC makes waves
In its usual agrarian commitment and seriousness of purpose at promoting Nigerian tourism at every course, and the Osun Osogbo festival, the Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC) was conspicuously present at the groove.

The corporation, apart from mounting an exhibition at the NTDC House, at the main entrance of the groove, organised a multimedia display of tourist sites in Nigeria to visitors.

The NTDC group, led by Mr. Akin Onipede, distributed souvenirs, caps and T-shirts, among others, on which the Osun Osogbo festival logo was printed, to visitors free of charge.

With the unflinching support and participation of the corporation to the festival, the history of the rise and rise of the festival is incomplete without a conspicuous chapter devoted to the NTDC, which has continuously promoted the festival, calling attention of the  world to it, which led to its being declared a World Heritage Site.

MTN adds glamour
If any corporate entity should be given an award for being genuinely committed to the concept of Corporate Social Responsibility to Osun Osogbo, MTN is it.

The South African company which started operation in Nigeria some years ago, showed that a company needs not be indigenous to be socially responsible.

MTN’s sponsorship of the Osun Osogbo 2010 added quality and colour, improved its glamour, refined the outlook and ensured the active participation  of many who were attracted by the massive publicity it splashed on electronic, print and the billboards.

While TTH says Amen to the deity’s prayers for MTN, it enjoins the company not to relent on its  efforts at identifying with peoples’ customs, cultural values and touristic aspirations.

Nothing can stop Osun Osogbo
The Aare Latoosa of Yorubaland and President, Centre for African Culture and Tradition, Chief Mabinuori Adegboyega Aare Latoosa, said that nothing can stop the celebration of the Osun Osogbo festival.

Reacting to the demise of the Ataoja and the ongoing Ramadan’s influence on the festival in a brief chat with TTH, Chief Latoosa,  said: “”There is always a lietenant to Ataoja. Whoever dies, we will celebrate the festival. It is a deity. Orisa never mourns. And the Ramadan, the muslims are doing theres we are doing ours. The fasting did not stop anyone from attending the festival.