Orosun Festival Ondo State

According to legends, Orosun was a woman and one of the wives of Olofin Aremitan. Olofin left Ile-Ife and stayed at Akoko land. There, he met Orosun (who was said to be very beautiful) and married her at Ipetu. After some years Aremitan left for Oke-Idanre which he founded.

From Ikori, she went with Olofin to Utaja (in Idanre). Subsequently, Orosun went to Akoko to collect her belongings so that she could return to Idanre to settle down with Olofin as his spouse. However, before she returned, Olofin unfortunately passed away and the people had moved to Oke-Idanre. Orosun followed the Idanre people to Oke Idanre and eventually became espoused to Agboogun.

During the reign of Owa Baganju, Orosun, the beautiful lover of Olofin Aremitan returned to Ufe-Oke from Ikori her hometown to resume her relationship with Olofin Aremitan, only to find out that Olofin had passed away. Orosun remained in Ufe-Oke (which was later renamed Idanre) and eventually married Owa Baganju.

Orosun was generally loved by Idanre people owing to her love for children despite not having one herself (she had offered her only child as a human sacrifice whilst in Ile-Ife). She was known as a healer of sorts, often cooking herbs with her ‘Ikoko Aremo’ to cure children of their illnesses. At some point, perhaps as a result of political intrigue, Orosun became the target of communal hatred and she was eventually assassinated at the foot of the highest hill in Idanre.

When Olofin died, she remarried several times. Orosun heard of an assassination plan and fled from the land into the forest of Idanre hills. Her assassins pursued her to her hideout and killed her.

The people of Idanre decided thereafter to appease her in exchange for fertility, peace, progress and health. She is worshipped every year. The festival is performed on 15th May of every year.

The festival is celebrated for a week. The villagers relocate from the present Idanre town to their pre-existing homes in Old Oke-Idanre, where they stay for the duration of the festival.