Osun River: Symbol of Traditional Yoruba Belief

The Osun River runs through the 75 hectares Osun Osogbo Grove and empties into the Gulf of Guinea. This photograph captures the beauty of the River whose levels depend on the season. In the rainy season, the water can rise by more than 50 meters and become brownish while flooding some riverside shrines. In the dry season, it is serene and almost transparent.
Traditionalists believe that the Goddess Osun resides in the River and that its waters are holy and therapeutic. They believe that Osun, the deity of fertility and healing helps those who take her water they refer to in the Yoruba language as 'Agbo'. Devotees visit the River daily, but there is more attendance during the annual Osun Osogbo Festival every August. Fishing is not allowed in the River.