The Ataoja of Osogboland, Oba Jimoh Oyetunji Olanipekun, has stated that this year’s edition of the popular Osun Osogbo festival will be one with a difference as it will be a double celebration.
Oba Olanipekun said the celebration will be a great one as festivities for the annual event in August would lead to the 10th coronation anniversary of his ascension to the throne of his forefathers in September.
The Managing Consultant of the Osun Osogbo festival, Mr Toye Arulogun, in Ibadan on Tuesday, noted that activities marking the 2020 edition of the festival will commence in March 2020 with a stakeholders round table aimed at identifying and getting the inputs of partners and other stakeholders for the 2020 double celebrations.
He said that the festival committee is working round the clock to ensure that this year’s festival is a huge success with great tourism benefits to the Osun State government and the federal government at large.
Also, the Ataoja expressed appreciation to the sons and daughters of Osogbo for their support and understanding towards him since his reign as the Ataoja in 2010, adding that he is optimistic that Osogbo and the Osun Groove, a World Heritage Site by United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) will play host to a higher number of devotees, participants and tourists during this year’s festival and the celebration of a decade of his coronation.