Festivals

Osun Police Assure Security at Osun-Osogbo Festival, Deploy Officers Across Key Locations

Published

2 months ago

August 6, 2026

Osun Police Command assures residents and visitors of safety during the Osun-Osogbo Festival, with officers deployed across strategic locations

The Osun State Police Command has assured residents, tourists and traditional worshippers of adequate security during the 2026 Osun-Osogbo Festival.

Also read: Young Royal Maiden Princess Alimot Becomes 2026 Osun-Osogbo Arugba

The command said comprehensive security arrangements had been put in place to ensure the protection of lives and property before, during and after the annual cultural event.

The Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Abiodun Ojelabi, disclosed in a statement on Thursday that the Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Gotan, had directed area commanders, divisional police officers and tactical units to strengthen security operations across Osogbo and other strategic areas.

According to the command, officers would be deployed to major festival venues, access routes, worship centres, tourist locations, markets, motor parks and other identified areas requiring security attention.

Ojelabi said the police would work alongside relevant government agencies, traditional institutions, festival organisers, community leaders and other security stakeholders to ensure effective coordination throughout the celebration.

He added that measures had been put in place to manage traffic, control crowds, prevent criminal activities and respond quickly to emergencies.

The police spokesperson urged residents and visitors to remain vigilant, cooperate with security personnel and report suspicious activities to the appropriate authorities.

He also advised parents and guardians to keep close watch on children in crowded areas, while motorists were encouraged to obey traffic regulations and follow instructions from traffic management personnel.

The command warned criminals, cultists and individuals planning to disrupt the festival that security agencies would take decisive action against any unlawful activities.

The Osun-Osogbo Festival is an annual traditional celebration held at the Osun-Osogbo Grove, a UNESCO-recognised heritage site, and attracts visitors from Nigeria and abroad.

Also read: Alaafin Owoade Unveils Oyo Empire Day Committee in Landmark Move

The week-long event will climax on August 7 with the traditional calabash-carrying ritual by the Osun maiden, known as the Arugba, to the Osun River in Osogbo.

Culture

OLOJO….Ile Ife’s September Gift To Culture

Published

2 days ago

October 5, 2026

Mariam Balogun

By Halima Adaba,

It was a featubal if the people. It was for the anciebt town of Ile Ife, which the Yoruba race refards as the Source.

Also read: Olojo Festival 2026: Ooni Urges Leaders to Prioritise Citizens

And ut was a festivsl for the King, Arole Oduduwa, Oonirisa, Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, Ojaja II.

And so between September 24 and 28th 2026, the annual featuval dazzjed in all its white glory.

Tge Monarch paid the traditional ancestral homage and offered propitiation as part of the sacred rites of the Olojo Festival.
It was a powerful expression of Yoruba heritage, spirituality, and enduring tradition.

Call it a collection of beautiful moments, faces, colours and cultural expressions.

Every frame tells a story.

Every face carries the energy.

Every moment keeps the heritage alive.

Undoubtedly one of the most sacred cultural celebrations in Ilé-Ifẹ̀. It marked a day associated with creation, thanksgiving, ancestral heritage, and the sacred appearance of the Ooni of Ife wearing the revered Aàrẹ crown.

There were also the devotees of the famed god of thunder – Sàngó who were hardly conspicuous at the festival.

Many other traditional groups came out with candor, showing a powerful expression of Yoruba cultural identity, spiritual devotion, and respect for the ancient traditions of Ilé-Ifẹ̀.

Devotees of Sàngó bekieved the ‘appearance’ of the god of thunder on Seotember 26th could be understood as a symbolic meeting of ancestral heritage, spiritual devotion, and the celebration of creation.

It was a moment when the sounds of drums, chants, and traditional praise poetry brought the history of the Yoruba people to life.

Although Olojo is closely associated with Ogun, the god of iron, and the sacred traditions of Ile-Ife, the presence of Sàngó devotees reflected the rich diversity of Yoruba spiritual heritage.

Also read: Olojo Festival 2026: Ooni Urges Leaders to Prioritise Citizens

As a participant enthused at the festival, “To witness Sàngó Olúkòso emerge on Olojo Festival day is to witness a living expression of history, identity, and ancestral pride.”