Nigeria Content Online

Fittingly, the
festival ended with a music concert sponsored by a consortium including
MTN, Star, Seaman’s, Dansa, Hyra Motors, and the Osun State government
at WOCDIF Centre on Friday, August 27. The concert featured upcoming
musicians and established stars including Isedale, Asindemade, Queen
Benny Black, Saheed Osupa, and Adewale Ayuba.

While Isedale and
his group sang some traditional Yoruba folk songs, Asindemade brought
back memories of the late Apala maestro, Haruna Ishola. Jimoh Buraimoh,
Ifagbenusola Atanda, and some others who couldn’t resist the pulsating
beats of the young man, showered him with crisp naira notes.

The biggest star of
the night, however, was self styled king of fuji music, Saheed Osupa.
The crowd welcomed him uproariously and later turned the hall into big
dance floor during his over one hour performance. The artist, who has
obviously mastered live performance and praise singing like his
illustrious forbears, Sikiru Ayinde Barrister and Ayinla Kollington,
stole the thunder of Bonsue fuji king, Adewale Ayuba, who rounded up
the show.

Arugba’s Circle

The Arugba Osun
(votary maid) was recognised when a statue in her honour was unveiled
at Oke Fia, one of the major roundabouts in Osogbo. Speaking at the
unveiling ceremony held on Thursday, August 26, Biodun Odejayi, senior
manager, regional marketing operations, MTN, thanked the people and
government of Osun State for allowing the telecommunication company
adopt the roundabout it will henceforth maintain. He stressed that it
is good to live in a good environment and pledged the company’s
continuous support for the festival.

Principal
coordinator of the Osun Osogbo festival, Jimoh Buraimoh, reiterated the
importance of the Arugba to the annual rite and expressed hope that MTN
will continue to support the festival. The Osun State commissioner for
environment, Olajire Omotoso, disclosed that his ministry is
facilitating the adoption of roundabouts “with a view to bringing a
facelift to the city and for the adoptee to brand their products.”

He promised that the renovation would not be limited to the state
capital and urged the people not to deface the renovated structure.