Events

Osun Osogbo 2023: Culture, Celebration As Adeleke Promises More Arty Promotions

Published

3 years ago

August 14, 2023

With the whole city of Osogbo agog, this year’s Osun Osogbo festival lived up to its billing at the Osun State capital as one of West Africa’s most outstanding festivals.

The festival takes place every year in Osogbo, Nigeria, celebrating the goddess of fertility, Osun.

It renews the contract between humans and the divine, when the people expect the goddess of Osun to offer grace to the community.

From the departure of the Votary Maid to the main arena of Osun Sacred Groov, the city of Osogbo felt the pulsating spirit of the festival.

In his address at the grand finale on Friday, Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke said, from time immemorial, Osun Osogbo has gained global recognition.

In felicitating with Kabiyesi, the Ataoja- in -Council, all traditional leaders and all pillars of cultural society, Governor Adeleke said the occasion was to witness “a rebranded festival which celebrates our traditionalism. As our culture is our bloodline, we all recognize where we are coming from and who we are as a people.

“Our culture and tradition are therefore the foundation of our strength as a people. We are therefore obliged to deploy culture as a tool for state and national development. This is the practice in Asia. That is the secret of the successes of South Korea, Japan and many of the Asian tigers.

“This year’s celebration therefore provides the greatest opportunity ever for our people to have a new look at our culture and tradition. We are challenged to capitalise on our rich culture to build an economically sound and virile nation.

“As a government, our administration has a tourism and cultural industry agenda. During the campaign and within the transition committee , we devised far-reaching programmes and policies for the arts, culture and tourism industry. We indeed created a new holistic approach by adding the creative industry as a whole.

“Our agenda targets the genuine globalization of our cultural heritage as a major building blocks of our economy. We expand beyond mere celebration of Osun Osogbo festival and other assets to making them the cornerstone of a truly cultural and tourism industry. We are creating a series of global cultural events that will attract millions of tourists all over the world. We are integrating our local economy into a global creative and cultural industry.

“Hence our rich cultural heritage will become a cherished product of value at home and abroad. Our agenda is to create a Saudi Arabia and Jerusalem out of Osun State as the cradle of the Yoruba race.”

As a starting point Adeleke said his administration had facelifted the Osun groove promising that the state would witness other world-class programmes in the areas of arts, culture and entertainment.

Source: TCN

Culture

Crowds Gather for Rare Sunrise at Egypt’s Abu Simbel Temple

Published

1 hour ago

October 23, 2026

David Ogunjobi

Hundreds of tourists gathered at Egypt’s Abu Simbel temple to witness the twice-yearly sunrise ceremony illuminating Pharaoh Ramses II’s statue

Hundreds of tourists gathered at Egypt’s Abu Simbel temple on Thursday to witness a spectacular sunrise phenomenon in which sunlight illuminated the face of the statue of Pharaoh Ramses II, an event that occurs only twice a year.

Also read: 16 Famous Cultural Festivals That Define India

The ancient astronomical ceremony drew visitors from different parts of the world to the archaeological site in southern Egypt on October 22, one of two dates associated with the phenomenon.

The second occurrence takes place on February 22, when the rising sun illuminates the temple’s interior.

Egyptian tour guide Yasser Fouad described the occasion as extraordinary, saying some visitors had stayed overnight to secure the opportunity to witness the event.

“Today is an extraordinary day, everyone is keen, there are people who stayed over the night, foreigners who actually spent the night in Abu Simbel to see this phenomenon,” Fouad said.

The Great Temple of Ramses II at Abu Simbel dates back to the 13th century BC and is among Egypt’s most prominent archaeological attractions.

Built during the reign of Ramses II, one of ancient Egypt’s most powerful pharaohs, the temple is renowned for its monumental statues and sophisticated architectural design.

The twice-yearly sunrise phenomenon is a major attraction, drawing visitors eager to witness the interaction between sunlight and the temple’s ancient structure.

The dates have traditionally been associated with significant moments in Ramses II’s life.

October 22 is commonly linked to his birthday, while February 22 is associated with his accession to the throne.

However, the precise historical reasons behind the dates remain debated.

Some archaeologists have proposed alternative explanations, including that they may have marked the pharaoh’s coronation and birthday.

Abu Simbel underwent a major international rescue operation in the 1960s, when archaeologists and engineers relocated the temples to protect them from flooding caused by the construction of the Aswan High Dam.

The monumental structures were cut into large blocks and reassembled at a higher location, preserving the site for future generations.

The relocation was one of the most significant archaeological preservation projects of the 20th century.

Despite the move, the temple continues to attract visitors for its ancient Egyptian art, monumental architecture and remarkable alignment with the rising sun.

Also read: 16 Famous Cultural Festivals That Define India

The annual gatherings highlight the enduring appeal of Egypt’s archaeological heritage and the continuing fascination with the astronomical knowledge and engineering achievements of its ancient civilisation.