Discover Ojúbọ Òṣogbo - the Main Ọ̀ṣun Shrine

A giant tree and the imposing stone sculpture of Èṣù, the divine messenger, by Buraimoh Gbadamosi.

The decorative wall is one of the earliest examples of New Sacred Art in the groves.

As seen from the inside.

The Ọ̀ṣun shrine is dedicated to the goddess Ọ̀ṣun. It is the central place of worship in the groves and is sometimes called “The First Palace”, which is a reference to the myth of the creation of the town of Òṣogbo.

This was the first shrine within the groves that the Ọ̀ṣun priests and priestesses asked Susanne Wenger to rebuild in 1960, as it had been infested by white ants and had nearly totally collapsed.

The entry features wooden posts and stone sculptures carved by New Sacred Art Movement artist Buraimoh Gbadamosi and cement sculptures of deities and devotees created by Saka Aremu.

The outer and inner walls are highly decorated with wall paintings, originally created by the only two female New Sacred Art Movement artists, Foyeke Ajoke and Songo Tundun.

Devotees come to the shrine throughout the year to consult with Ọ̀ṣun priests and priestesses and to make offerings to the goddess.

Extensive repair works were urgently needed in 2019.

The shrine is also the destination of the procession - the highlight of the annual Ọ̀ṣun Òṣogbo Festival, which attracts many thousands of visitors locally and from all over the world.

Ọ̀ṣun brings together òrìṣà devotees and people of Yorùbá and African descent from the Caribbean, Brazil, America, West Africa and from around the world.