The Osun state government has denied its alleged involvement in the award of a contract for the organisation of the 2024 Osun Osogbo festival to a non-indigene.
The stakeholders have expressed concern over the reported award of the contract for a yearly historical event to a non-indigene, as they described it as sacrilegious.
But the spokeswoman to the governor, Mallam Olawale Rasheed, had, in a statement, faulted the claims, describing the news that linked Governor Ademola Adeleye and the state government to the award of such contract as nothing but a ruse.
The statement read, Our attention has again been drawn to fake news circulating alleging engagement of consultants for the Osun Osogbo festival by Governor Ademola Adeleke
“We seek to clarify clearly that neither the state governor nor the state government are the organisers of the Osun Osogbo festival.
“The Ataoja-in-Council is the organiser, while the role of the state is just financial and logistics support to ensure a successful outing. This has been the practice from time immemorial.
“The State Governor is not involved in the engagement of consultants for the festival. The Ataoja-in-Council is the mandate holder for putting the event together, including the hiring and firing of professionals for the event.
“It is fake news to insinuate, as some have done, that the State Governor engaged consultants of whatever extraction for the organisation of the event. This is a lie from the pit of hell.
“We urge the public to disregard the merchants of falsehood spreading lies and distorted reports about the Osun Osogbo festival.
“Those who need information on Osun Osogbo are directed to reach out to the Ataoja-in-Council.”
However, the “stakeholders have insisted that the organisation of the yearly historic event has been awarded to a non-native.
The stakeholders described the decision to award the contract for the organisation of such a historical event as a slap on the Yoruba race, noting that the Yeye Osun celebration, whose origins date back over 700 years, is deeply rooted in Yoruba tradition.
The festival, which includes the Cleansing Parade (Iwopopo), the lighting of the 500-year-old Sixteen Point Lamp (Ina Olojumerindinlogun), and the Propitiation and Sacrifice at the Osun River, embodies both overt cultural expressions and covert spiritual rites, guided by Ifa divination.
These rituals highlight the festival’s sacred nature and its significance to the Yoruba people.
It was argued that entrusting such a deeply cultural and spiritual event to someone outside the Yoruba community is a grave sacrilege.
They contended that the cultural and spiritual integrity of the festival is compromised when managed by those who lack a deep, invested understanding of Yoruba traditions.
Historical figures such as Austrian-Nigerian artist Susanne Wenger, who contributed significantly to the festival’s global recognition, had to undergo rigorous initiation and demonstrate a deep commitment to Yoruba culture before being accepted.
This precedent underscores the belief that profound respect and understanding of Yoruba traditions are prerequisites for involvement in the festival’s organisation.
The stakeholders, therefore, called for the immediate revocation of the contract, with critics arguing that the involvement of an Igbo company undermines the festival’s authenticity and disrespects Yoruba heritage.
Also, the erstwhile Commissioner for Culture and Tourism in Osun, Dr Adebisi Obawale, said that he did not know the aspect of the festival that was contracted out because there are many aspects to the festival.
He said, “ I do not know the terms and conditions of the contracts but what I know is that whichever aspect is contracted to a non-indigene, Osun Osogbo festival is for Yoruba and for Osogbo people.
“There was never a time when other members of ethnic groups partake in any contractual aspect of the festival. It is worrisome if it’s true that a non-Yoruba owner won any major contract from the festival.
It’s a sacred festival to the Yoruba race and the traditional rulers of Osogbo, the Ata of Osogbo, couldn’t have been a sell-out”
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