Low Turnout Mars Osun Osogbo Festival over Ebola Fear

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 The grand finale of the annual Osun Osogbo festival was yesterday celebrated low key following the announcement by the state government that foreigners should be restricted from the festival.
The usual pomp and pageantry associated with the traditional festival were not seen as only the Osun devotees and traditionalists from within the state took part in all the programmes of the festival.

However, all traditional rites associated with the festival were carried out under the supervision of the renowned Ifa priests, Chief Ifayemi Elebuibon.

The state government had through the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr Sunday Akere, ordered that foreigners should be restricted from attending this year’s Osun Osogbo festival to avoid outbreak of Ebola virus in the state.

Also, a cross section of medical experts in the state had called for the postponement of the festival to avoid spread of Ebola virus.

But, the Osun Osogbo 2014 Advisory committee insisted that the festival would hold at the scheduled date in accordance with the tradition and Culture of Osogbo land.

However, Osun devotees who went to the groove yesterday went through strict medical scrutiny as medical experts stationed at the main entrance of the groove performed series of tests on the devotees.

The medical experts led by the Chief Medical Director, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH) Teaching Hospital, Osogbo, Prof. Olufemi Fadiora provided drugs and other vaccines for tourists at the grove.
They used the occasion to sensitise members of the public on the precautionary measures for the deadly Ebola virus.

Also, security operatives at the groove numbering over 100 wore gloves to prevent body contacts with tourists at the groove.

It was gathered that the security operatives arrested a middle aged man at the groove for allegedly carrying arms.

Speaking at the festival, the Director General, Nigeria Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC), Mrs Sally Mbanefo expressed the readiness of the Federal Government to develop all tourist centres across the country. She said the Federal Government would ensure that the Osun groove was developed to attract foreign tourists.

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