Osun Osogbo: 3 feared dead, several injured

From Lateef Dada, Osogbo

Three persons were feared dead and no fewer than twelve others were injured at the groove during the celebration of the 2023 Osun-Osogbo festival.

Findings showed that some rival groups who might have had misunderstandings clashed at the groove during the grand finale of the annual celebration.

There was unrest in some parts of Osogbo during the clash as the rival cults unleashed mayhem on the people with dangerous weapons.

The suspected cultists also vandalized the office of Hunters and Forest Security Service at Asubiaro along the groove and injured some personnel in the office.

Chairman of the hunter group, Ahmed Nureni told journalists that three dead bodies were sighted around the groove while ten members of the group were also injured.

He said, “We sighted three dead bodies, though, we don’t know their identities. Meanwhile, our office in the Jaleyemi area was also vandalized and in the process, ten personnel were injured.”

Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, who addressed the tourists, described the festival as the strongest heritage of the people, assuring that his administration would use the Osun-Osogbo festival as a tool for state development.

“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 capitalize 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 programs and policies for the arts, culture, and tourism industry. We indeed created a new holistic approach by adding the creative industry as a whole,” Adeleke said.