Ecstasy as Arugba leads procession to Osun grove

By Shina Abubakar

As the 2026 Osun Osogbo festival climaxes on Friday, the votary maiden (Arugba) led thousands of Osun adherents into the sacred grove to pay homage to the river goddess.

Osun-Osogbo, an annual international month-long festival is celebrated by Osun adherents and other traditionalists with audience cutting across diverse religions and ethnicity.

The Arugba, central to the festival, is the symbol of the celebration whose presence invokes prayers among adherents and is closely followed by the Ataoja of Osogbo, Oba Jimoh Oyetunji.

Colour and glamour are added to the festival by different cultural groups, who in their different Aso-Ebi stormed the group to participate in the spiritual and cultural aspects of the festival.