The Osun Osogbo festival, a renowned international cultural event, was marred by violence on Friday as rival cult groups clashed at the sacred grove, leaving three dead and 12 injured.
The clash, which occurred during the grand finale of the festival, also disrupted the festivities and caused panic among residents and tourists around the Jaleyemi and Isale-Osun areas of Osogbo, the capital of Osun State.
According to eyewitnesses, the cultists, who came in large numbers, were seen openly brandishing different types of dangerous weapons and attacking each other.
The Chairman of the Hunters Group of Nigeria, Ahmed Nureni, confirmed the incident to Newsflash Nigeria and said that three bodies were sighted around the grove while 10 members of his group were also injured.
Nureni also revealed that the office of Hunters and Forest Security Service located along the road was attacked and vandalised by the cultists.
He said, “We sighted three dead bodies, though we don’t know their identities. Meanwhile, our office in the Jaleyemi area was also vandalised and in the process, the ten personnel were injured.”
The Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yoruba land, Iba Gani Adams, also condemned the incident and described it as an invasion of the Osun grove aimed at tarnishing the international status of the Osun Osogbo festival.
Adams, who addressed members of the Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC) at the grove, 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 the 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 renowned globally and we must protect and project it to the whole world.”
Adams warned that nothing must hinder the advancement of the festival and Yoruba tradition.
Some witnesses, however, claimed that the violence started when a member of the Hunters Group of Nigeria allegedly struck an OPC leader with a charmed ring.
The police have launched an investigation into the clash, and they are appealing to anyone with information about the incident to come forward.
The Osun Osogbo festival is a major tourist attraction in Nigeria, and it is important that it is protected from violence and disruption.
The clash between rival cult groups is a serious threat to the safety of tourists and visitors to the festival.
The authorities need to take steps to ensure that the festival is safe for everyone.
