Osogbo travel guide

Osogbo travel guide and tourist information: Osogbo with a population of more than 900,000, is the capital of Osun State and most of the population are members of the Yoruba ethnic group. The city was founded around early 18th century by hunters from a nearby village which was suffering from famine. The hunters decided to move a few of their family members to the lower terraces of a nearby river, the river Osun. One of the hunters, Larooye, became the first Ataoja or King of Osogbo, as one of the initial builders of the then small settlement, most of the initial population were concentrated around the palace of the Ataoja. Osogbo is the venue of the famous Osun-Osogbo festival that comes up annually along the River Osun. The festival is centred around the sacred grove of the river goddess Osun, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Osogbo, sometimes called “Ilu Aro” (home of dyeing), is a major dyeing center. The city is also a home to world reknown artists like Suzanne Wenger, Nike Art, Jimoh Ibrahim, Twins Seven Seven etc.