Princess Alimot Moredeke Ajoke Osunbunmi, the 10-year-old Arugba of the Osun-Osogbo Festival, has performed the sacred role for the first time by carrying the festival’s calabash during the traditional procession to the Osun Sacred Grove in Osogbo, Osun State.
Friday’s procession marked a major milestone for the young princess, who could not carry out the ritual during the 2025 festival because of her age.
Alimot was chosen as the new Arugba in March 2025 through traditional Ifa divination. She took over the revered position from Osuntomi Ewatomi, whose approximately 12-year service ended after she got married.
Before the procession, cultural content creator Wàá Ṣeré announced that Alimot had completed the necessary traditional Ifa rites ahead of her duties.
“The Arugba has been fortified! Ìdáfá Arugba is now done and dusted. Arugba takes the required sacrifice to Èṣù on behalf of the whole of the land of Òṣogbo,” Wàá Ṣeré wrote on X.
With the successful completion of Friday’s procession, Alimot has now formally taken on one of the most prominent traditional responsibilities associated with the annual Osun-Osogbo Festival.
𝐕𝐈𝐃𝐄𝐎: 𝟏𝟎-𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫-𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐎𝐬𝐮𝐧-𝐎𝐬𝐨𝐠𝐛𝐨 𝐟𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐚𝐥 𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐚𝐛𝐚𝐬𝐡
The 10-year-old Arugba of the Osun-Osogbo Festival, Princess Alimot Moredeke Ajoke Osunbunmi, has carried the sacred calabash for the first time during the annual procession… pic.twitter.com/HYOkXvxPTc
— Punch Newspapers (@MobilePunch) August 7, 2026
