The annual Osun Osogbo festival was, on Friday, attended by a crowd, including Osun worshippers, traditionalists, and spectators, despite the ban by the state government because of the coronavirus pandemic.
The crowd surged to the Osun Sacred Grove on the outskirts of Osogbo to partake in the festival at the forest along the banks of the Osun river.
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Despite the morning downpour, adherents and worshippers of the Osun deity trooped out en-masse to the Osun Grove, the venue of the grand finale of the 2021 Osun Osogbo traditional festival in Osogbo.
It was gathered that the enthusiasm with which people went about the festival was high, as the venue was packed full of worshippers and guests, Daily Post reports.
At the sacred grove, the crowds of worshippers and spectators did not adhere to the COVID-19 guidelines as most did not comply with the social distancing and wearing of face masks rules.
However, officials of the State Ministry of Health were on hand at the entrance to the grove to measure temperature measurements of the people as they went into the sacred grove.
It was also observed that during the entrance of the ‘Arugba’ calabash baring maiden, the Ataoja of Osogbo land and other dignitaries, the surge of crowd prevented the Health Ministry staff from conducting the temperature measurements.
Recall that the Osun State Commissioner for Health, Dr Rafiu Isamotu had assured that all the COVID-19 guidelines as directed by the National Center for Disease Control (NCDC) would be strictly enforced during the festival.
