Why The Baba Osun Carried The Sacred Calabash Instead of The Arugba:
In a notable twist during the 2025 Osun-Osogbo Festival, the sacred calabash traditionally carried by a royal virgin known as the Arugba was instead carried by the chief priest, Baba Osun (Adesina), as the young Arugba, Alimot Osunbunmi, led the procession. The shift, steeped in both practicality and tradition, arose because the calabash’s weight proved too heavy for the nine-year-old Arugba to carry during the crowded pilgrimage to the Osun Grove. Traditionalists confirm this assistance is acceptable especially for first-time young bearers and this doesn’t break the ritual’s sacred tradition.
Thetabithahub
79 days agoWhy The Baba Osun Carried The Sacred Calabash Instead of The Arugba:
In a notable twist during the 2025 Osun-Osogbo Festival, the sacred calabash traditionally carried by a royal virgin known as the Arugba was instead carried by the chief priest, Baba Osun (Adesina), as the young Arugba, Alimot Osunbunmi, led the procession. The shift, steeped in both practicality and tradition, arose because the calabash’s weight proved too heavy for the nine-year-old Arugba to carry during the crowded pilgrimage to the Osun Grove. Traditionalists confirm this assistance is acceptable especially for first-time young bearers and this doesn’t break the ritual’s sacred tradition.