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Tag : natural crafts
The hidden treasures of Osun Osogbo Grove Nigeria's second UNESCOWorld Heritage Site

Baba Agba (Left) Sussan Wenger(Right) OSUN Osogbo International Festival is a cultural tourism eventstarted as early as 1370AD in Osogbo, a cosmopolitan city inNigeria, which has now become the capital of Osun State. Thefestival, according to history, was initiated as a pact between ObaLaroye, alias Gbadewole; a great elephant hunter called Olutimehin,and the goddess of a river named Osun.
History
The indigenes of Osogbo, present capital of Osun State, wereinitially domiciled in Ipole Omu, which had not enough waterresources; very thick vegetation, the two basic environmental needsof the people who were by occupation then agrarian farmers andhunters. The force of necessity to flourish and maintain equitableexistence on earth propelled the search for a greener place wherethe farmers could have access to water and the hunters a lushvegetation to game. Olutimehin, a fearless elephant hunter, tookhis adventure beyond the precinct of Ipole-Omu and found a verythick forest located near a flowing river, an answer to the questof his people.
Thus Oba Larooye, Olutimehin and their subjects migrated fromIpole-Omu and settled at that thick forest where God had preparedfor them which is now called the Grove. For months, these peoplecarried on their business of existence without any reference to anygoddesses, tilling the ground, hunting animals until a day. Thatday, according to Chief G.O. Oparanti, the Ajagunna of Osogbo“They finally settled at the grove very near the Osun River.These great men and women knew nothing about the administration ofthe goddesses of the Osun River. During the farming activities whenmembers of the community were engaged in the preparation of groundfor the next planting season, a tree fell into the river and amysterious voice was heard from the Osun River saying Larooye, theking, and Olutimehin, the hunter have destroyed all her dyeingpots”.
The spirit then advised Oba Larooye , Olutimehin and their subjectsto move to the upper part of the river called Ohuntoto for humanbeing, could not live with the spirit. This command was promptlyobeyed by Oba Larooye and he moved to Ohuntoto, leaving behind hispalace now called Osun Temple. And when they settled at Ohuntoto,Olutimehin, again ventured into the grove one night and had anencounter with some spirits who were dancing round a lamp with 16light points.
Olutimehin very versed in incantation and deep in magical power,seized the lamp and took it to the king.
“When the goddesses of Osun River heard about the seizure,she invited the king and Olutimehin and advised them that the lampbe celebrated annually nine days before their appeasement in thegrove. The 16 point lamp must be lit from dusk till dawn. The king,and his immediate family and chiefs must accompany the king whiledancing round the lamp three times, before day break. She alsopresented to them, a traditional calabash, containing someantiquities which must be conveyed to the grove during the finalprocession to the grove by a virgin lady selected from the familyof the incumbent king.
She also pledged that she would always send her messenger calledIko, who would pour curative water into the calabash held by theOba and the Osun priests. Anybody suffering from any ailment shoulddrink the curative water and would instantly be relieved.. Inaddition, barren women who drank out of this water would be blessedwith children. After receiving this message and because of theincreased population, they left the grove entirely to serve as asacred place of history and moved to their present location calledOde-Osogbo. Since that encounter, the Grove has remained areference point of history, cultural celebration, tourist delightand a magnet to many.
Susan Wenger and the Grove
Beyond the spirit encounter of King Larooye and Olutimehin whichprevented the early people from desecrating the grove and makenonsense of it, the spirit must have reincarnated in a woman calledSussan Wenger, an Austrian, who accompanied her husband, Ulli Bier,now late, a Professor and Lecturer of Arts to Nigeria.
This white lady, would fell in love with the story of the Osungoddesses, got initiated into the Ifa divination, so totallyengrossed that she decided to dedicate her life to Osun Osogbo atthe expense of her marriage. She could not divorce her spirit fromthe Osun Osogbo aura that she preferred to divorce her husband whobrought her to Nigeria, when the latter was leaving the country andmarried a native, a local drummer, Baba Onilu, who was one of her students in arts and crafts.
Sussan Wenger’s life in Nigeria has been woven round thegrove and its inhabitants. According to her, “The grove is mylife, my existence and my breath. It is what Olodumare destined meto conserve, protect, guide and to preserve.”
Thus she has done everything humanly possible to ensure that thegrove maintained its natural sequence without any heavy humanactivities as directed by the goddesses to Larooye . And she, with help of her students, friends and well-wishers,worked hard to enhance the grove, and conserve its inherentingredients of history, artifacts and antiquities.
Mama pioneered the construction of all the monumental structures inOsun Grove, all have historical references and relevance ofsurvival to the people of Osogbo. These inestimable treasures arehistorically located within the grove which are points of interestto tourists, historians, students, researchers.
These structures are reflective of Sussan Wengers robustness in allinclusive art form, mud architecture, ebullience in constructure oftraditional properties, vastness in mental works, wood carving andothers. She has made sure that the grove is not only about the Osunriver but about all relevant human and sub human legends thatcontributed to the existence of Osogbo. Inside the grove , touristswill find the gigantic Iyamopo structure, who was said to be thetallest woman that ever-lived and who using the advantage of herheight able to see very far and warn whenever there was any attemptto infiltrate the grove by invaders to attack the inhabitants,(Osogbo people) in the day.
There is also within the Iyamopo courtyard, a massive inter-twiningstructure called Baba Agba ( Sanponna ), the construction of this could only be done by a spiritpossessed genius. Also within this courtyard is Ela Iwori- a tallwooden carving of a man whose legs are suspended on a wood. Thestory of Ela Iwori is liken by the Yorubas to a saviour who came toredeem his people but was not only betrayed but disgraced, hence,he ascended to heaven. Thus his image was carved with suspendedlegs. Another area of significance interest at the grove is the oldmarket place where various moulded, images of people, animals andmarket activities are depicted. Dominating figure in old marketsite is the effigy of Sango in-action, with Oya, and some worldanimals.
The edifice that first catch your attention while entering thegrove on the left side is an edifice made of mud carved woods in agothic design called Ayedakun. This structure is said to be theofficial residence of Mama Sussan Wenger whenever she wants to havea rest in the grove. The design is awe inspiring but not fearsome.The inside is a labyrinth of paths that lead to some rooms, withthe front design that looks like an observation post. To be ofinterest is the Iledi courtyard, which is on the right, just about30 metres from Aiyedakun. The Iledi which is the meeting point ofthe Ogbonis, the traditional law enforcer in those day is fearsome.Located on a very large portion of land, Iledi speaks of awesome,majestic and respect both in design and form. It has threeentrances all with unique designing of wonderful work of arts.
There is this image of Osun Olomoyo . She is a beautiful woman having about 20 children crawling on herbody. She is an answer to her name, ‘Osun with many children.And it is so well depicted. Osun temple, which is a testimony tothe architectural ingenuity of the fore bears of Osogbo people. Ittell us that kings of the Yoruba people of old lived in majesticpalaces with many courtyards and arch which is now the vogue.Inside the Osun-grove, is also an iron-cast suspended bridge, whichis even longer and stronger than the Lord Lugard Bridge in Kaduna.
Complementing the various works of arts planted in the groove bySussan Wenger are the toilets donated by Coca-Cola, which is out ofuse and an educational Centre build by the National Commission forMuseums and Monuments. The Educational Centre speaks of arts bothin design and in exterior decoration as the wall, door, windows andeven the pillars are of artistic message relating to Osun Osogbo.Another interesting treasure in the grove are the monkeys which areso many and always ready to play the good hosts to tourists. Theseand many other wonderful objects and work of arts abound in theOsun Grove which have continued to command international respectand recognition.