Osogbo – Some foreigners that participated in the 2015 edition of Osun-Osogbo Festival have applauded its uniqueness and cultural values.
They expressed the enthusiasm about the festival during interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Osogbo on Friday.
A Japanese, Mrs Aleleo Yoshine, said that Osun-Osogbo festival was traditional in nature and also educate people on the rich culture and tradition of the state.
Yoshine said that most of the festival she had been attending all over the world look artificial but Osun-Osogbo festival looked real and natural.
She said the festival looked real and natural because visitors, tourists and indigenes did respect the norms and values of the River goddess.
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“As you can see people going into the river with a calabash filled with antiquities to worship the goddess of the river.
“I can also see people washing their heads in the river, filling their bottle with water from the Osun River.
“It shows the respect and belief people have for the goddess of the river and also how they valued their culture,’’ Yoshine said.
Yoshine said she was happy with crowd at the groove and also attracted with Africa costume and attire, everything about the festival was impressive.
According to her, Nigeria is so blessed with enormous culture, tradition and natural resources that the Nigerians need to tap from.
The tourist urged the authority in charge to improve on facilities at the tourists’ sites, adding that it needed to look more befitting than the present condition.
“My stay in Nigeria is memorable, Nigerians are hospitable and accommodating but the Osun government needs to support and promote the festival beyond this level,’’ she said.
Yoshine said that if the government could upgrade its tourists’ facilities, it would attract foreign investors and would make foreigners to choose the state as their preferred tourism destination.
An American tourist, Mrs Iris Hernandez, lauded the festival, saying that it was different from the festival she had been attending in United State.
According to her, the festival is colorful, full of antiquities and it is so traditional compared to other countries of the world that are artificial.
“I enjoyed my coming to Nigeria; I will like to come again because of the cultural knowledge gained.
“The festival brings about cultural integration between one country and the others. I met people from different part of the world here at the festival that interests me,’’ Hernandez said.
Hernandez said that there were a lot of energy put in the festival, it was well organised and I liked it.
“I never regretted coming for the festival, the security was commendable, well organised, above all, It is so unique and natural not artificial,’’ she said.
She urged indigenes of Osun and the state government to appreciate and value their culture more because it was gaining global attention. (NAN)
