OSI a north western town which was established over 200 years ago in ondo state in Nigeria is home to different kinds of cultural practices and traditions, since the majority of people based in the land are of the Yourba tribe, they carry out general Yoruba cultural practices like new yam festival, egungun festival etc.
But one preeminent, primitive and most controversial practice of all which is only peculiar to Osi and ipetu-ijesha is the Opa festival..(cane festival)
Opa festival does not involve rituals or making of sacrifices unto any idol, this is why throngs participate in the ceremony. It is all about singing and dancing while some physically fit men and women voluntarily flog each other on their back; the young and the old engage in severe flogging of each other to mark the clearing of the bush for cultivation. Strong young men see it as an exercise while many people see it as a torturous festival.
Now when we are talking about caning, we don’t mean play acting, this is a festival where you are seriously caned with fat or thin steady canes to test your courage and endurance, to see if you are really fit to be called a Son and daughter of the land..
The king and cheifs are not left out of this festival , they are free to beat any subjects but they don’t get beaten…seriously, you want to beat a king?…
In an interview with the king when he was asked why in this jet age do they still carry out this primitive activities, he said ” It is a festival we got from our forefathers which is compulsory for Osi indegenes both home and abroad because it answers prayers,makes pregnant women gives birth easily, it heals and a great protective sheild against all types of physical and spiritual diseases, that is why we love doing it”
Well, thanking God that I am not an indegene of osi town,(winks) but if the sons and daughters of the land aren’t complaining, if they enjoy what they do who are we to complain?
So next time you feel like visiting a new place,going on a excursion, or you want to test your endurance spirit, Osi might just be the best place for you and God help you, it might be the time when they are celebrating the
Opa festival.
P.S : please don’t mind the bad quality pictures, they are the only ones available for now.
Leave a Reply