Three dead as cultists clash during Osun-Osogbo Festival grand finale
Three persons were reportedly feared dead and 12 others injured following a violent clash between rival cult groups around the Osun-Osogbo ancient groove, during the festival’s grand finale.
This is as the Aare Onakakanfo of Yoruba land, Iba Gani Adams, frowned at the invasion of the Osun groove by cultists, “tarnish the international status of the festival”.
The identity of the victims and two of the injured persons were yet to be ascertained at the time of filing this report, but hoodlums were seen brandishing dangerous weapons, disrupting activities, creating panic among residents and tourist around Jaleyemi and Isale-Osun.
The Office of Hunters and Forest Security Service located along the road was also attacked and vandalised with its personnel injured in the attack.
Chairman, of the Hunter group, Ahmed Nureni, said three bodies were sighted around the groove while 10 members of the group were also injured.
“We sighted three dead bodies, though we don’t know their identities.
Meanwhile, our office at Jaleyemi area was also vandalised and in the process the ten personnel were injured,” he said.
OPC
Addressing members of the Oodua People’s Congress, OPC, at Isale-Osun outside the groove, at a reception organised for him, Adams stressed the need for stakeholders to ensure adequate security for tourists and visitors to safeguard the sanctity of the spiritual festival.
He said: “It is unfortunate that cultists and miscreants have been taking advantage of the hospitality of the festival to create a platform for cult rivalry, which Osun goddess abhors and we must collectively stop the trend.
“This is an opportunity for Osun and Nigeria to attract tourism development. Osun-Osogbo is renown globally and we must protect and project it to the whole world.
“Nothing must hinder the advancement of the festival and by extension Yoruba tradition,” he said.
Addressing tourists and traditionalists inside the groove, Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, said his administration would use the Osun-Osogbo festival as a tool for state development, being the strongest heritage of the people.
His words: “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.”
