OSUN: A CITY WITH A SACRED GROVE MONUMENT
Every year, adherents and non-adherents of Osun, one of the Orisa (the traditional deities of the Yoruba people), travel from all over the world to attend the annual Osun-Osogbo festival in August. Visitors include nationals of Brazil;, Cuba, Trinadad, Grenadad, and other nations in the Americas with a significant Yoruba cultural heritage. Annual traditional festivities and invocations of the Osun goddess are held along the banks of the river bearing her name into which – according to Yoruba Oratory traditions – she transformed.
Osun-Osogbo Grove, the shrine of the annual rites of the deity and an important artistic center, was declared a World Heritage Site in 2005
Osun is a Nigerian inland state in the southwest. Osogbo is the capital. Kwara State borders it on the north, Ekiti State on the east, Ondo State on the west, Ogun State on the south, and Oyo State on the west. Several of Nigeria’s most iconic landmarks may be found in Osun.
The Yoruba people have a rich history and culture in Osun State, which is located in south-western Nigeria. There are numerous activities in Osun State that are best enjoyed with a group of friends. Explore waterfalls, dance to the beat of bata drums, eat native foods, and learn while you visit Osun State.
The state of Osun also has a number of tourist attractions, including hills, waterfalls, and historical sites. It is home to several of Nigeria’s most notable sites, including the historic town of Ile-If, which houses the campus of Obafemi Awolowo University and was an important early center of political and religious development for Yoruba culture.
OSUN-OSOGBO SACRED GROVE
The Osun-Osogbo Sacred Grove is a large cultural landscape of undisturbed forest near the city of Osogbo in southwestern Nigeria. Dedicated to Osun, the Yoruba goddess of fertility, the area was established more than four centuries ago and is the largest of the sacred groves that have survived to the present. The Osun River meanders through the protected area, with sanctuaries and shrines erected along its course. In the twentieth century, the development of the movement of New Sacred Art invigorated efforts to protect the grove, and modern sculpture now adds to the spiritual significance of the site. This movement was led by Susanne Wenger (1915–2009), an artist and Yoruban priestess, and it transformed Osogbo into a hub of artistic activity and new ideas about contemporary African art. In 2005, the Osun-Osogbo Sagred Grove was designated a World Heritage Site.
ERIN IJESHA WATERFALLS
Erin-Ijesha Waterfalls (also known as Olumirin waterfalls) is located in Erin-Ijesha. It is a tourist attraction located in Oriade local government area, Osun State, Nigeria. The waterfalls was discovered in 1140 AD by one of the daughters of Oduduwa. “Olumirin waterfall was discovered by hunters in 1140 AD”. Another source has it that the tourist site was discovered by a woman called Akinla, founder of Erin-Ijesha town and a granddaughter of Oduduwa, during the migration of Ife people to Erin- Ijesa.
The fall features seven levels, on top of which the village Abake is located. The Erin Ijesha Waterfalls is a popular excursion point for schools around the vicinity. The natives regard the waterfall as a sacred site and a means of purifying their souls. Festivals were formerly celebrated and sacrifices performed at the site.
NIKE ART CENTRE
Nike Centre for Art and Culture is where training is offered free of charge to all Nigerians in various forms of arts; painting, batik, dance, study of sculpture, theatre, quilting and more. The centre was originally a safe haven for disadvantaged women and young adults, and has trained over 3000 Nigerians who are now earning a decent livings.
OSUN MALL
The Osun mall is a place where you can get all you want as tourist.
By Bus
You can travel to Osun State by bus from major cities like Lagos, Benin, Kano and Port Harcourt. You can as well take airplane to neighboring states like Kwara, Ondo and Ibadan from there take a bus to your destination.
Buses allow you to appreciate the terrain, the towns and cities and the subtle changes in these and culture as you drive towards the capital either from the south or the north. The building is 150 meters wide and 150 meters long and 50 meters high.
Eating and drinking in osun state.
Ekuru
This is a meal native to the Yoruba people in Nigeria. It is usually prepared with peeled beans. It is similar to moin-moin as both are made from peeled black-eyed peas or, occasionally, cowpeas. However, unlike moi-moi which is mixed with pepper and other ingredients before steaming, Ekuru is wrapped up in leaves or tin cans (similar to moi-moi) and steamed. It is served with fried pepper stew and then mashed up with pepper stew. Some people enjoy the meal with fermented maize pudding (Ogi or Eko) it can also be served along side with (Eba) Cassava Pudding or Okro Soup.
The meal is native to people from South-Western Nigeria, predominantly from Osun State.Ekuru features in several Yoruba myths, where it is cooked with glue in an attempt to stop a cabal of evil witches from moving. Because of the meal’s dry nature, the expression “He chokes me like ekuru” can be used to describe a tedious visitor.
Efo riro (Yoruba: ẹ̀fọ́ riro)
This is a vegetable soup and a native soup of the Yoruba people of western Nigeria. The two vegetables most commonly used to prepare the soup are Celosia argentea (ṣọkọ̀ yòkòtò) and Amaranthus hybridus (ẹ̀fọ́ tẹ̀tẹ̀).
The ingredients in ẹ̀fọ́ riro vary, especially in which meats are included, Ẹ̀fọ́ riro is often eaten with Nigerian swallow foods like eba, pounded yam, or fufu. Other starchy foods such as rice and boiled plantain may also be eaten with it.
oshogbo Boasting a restaurant, bar, garden and free WiFi, Aenon Suites Oshogbo is situated in Oshogbo, 7 km from Sacred Osun Grove and 7 km from Osun-Osogbo Grove. Featuring room service, this property also provides guests with a children’s playground. The hotel has an outdoor swimming pool, fitness centre, evening entertainment and a 24-hour front desk. The hotel will provide guests with air-conditioned rooms offering a desk, a kettle, a fridge, a safety deposit box, a flat-screen TV and a private bathroom with a shower. At Aenon Suites Oshogbo the rooms are fitted with bed linen and towels. A continental breakfast is available each morning at the accommodation. At Aenon Suites Oshogbo guests are welcome to take advantage of a hot tub. You can play table tennis and tennis at the hotel, and car hire is available.
LARRYDAM HOTEL AND SUITES
is situated in Ilesa and features a bar. Among the facilities of this property are a restaurant, a 24-hour front desk and room service, along with free WiFi throughout the property. Private parking can be arranged at an extra charge. At the hotel the rooms have air conditioning, a seating area, a flat-screen TV with satellite channels, a safety deposit box and a private bathroom with a shower, bathrobes and slippers. All rooms will provide guests with a fridge. Oshogbo is 29 km from LARRYDAM HOTEL AND SUITES, while Ado Ekiti is 47 km from the property.
By Bus
You can travel to Osun State by bus from major cities like Lagos, Benin, Kano and Port Harcourt. You can as well take airplane to neighboring states like Kwara, Ondo and Ibadan from there take a bus to your destination.
Buses allow you to appreciate the terrain, the towns and cities and the subtle changes in these and culture as you drive towards the capital either from the south or the north. The building is 150 meters wide and 150 meters long and 50 meters high.