- Title: NIGERIA: Tourists shy away from Nigeria's Osun festival over Ebola fears
- Date: 26th August 2014
- Summary: OSUN, NIGERIA (RECENT) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF PEOPLE ESCORTING THE ARUGBA (CALABASH CARRIER) TO THE OSUN RIVER VARIOUS OF PEOPLE CHANTING DURING PROCESSION BILLBOARD DISPLAYED READING: "WELCOME TO OSUN OSOGBO FESTIVAL" VARIOUS OF PEOPLE WALKING TOWARDS THE RIVER/SECURITY GUARDS WEARING FACE MASKS POSTER READING: "ARUN (DISEASE) EBOLA" VARIOUS OF MEDICAL PERSONNEL CHECKING TEMPERATURES OF PEOPLE POSTER SHOWING HANDS BEING WASHED (SOUNDBITE) (English) FOLORUNSHO OLASHIMBO, BUSINESSMAN SAYING: "When we were coming in, actually, we were tested and I have the impression that there is no Ebola in Osun state and anyway, people have been praying that this particular Iya Osun (river goddess) should you know assist them so that they won't be infected by Ebola." MORE OF MEDICAL PERSONNEL CHECKING PEOPLE'S TEMPERATURE (SOUNDBITE) (English) KAYODE OGUNNIYI, DIRECTOR, PRIMARY HEALTH CARE AND DISEASE CONTROL, OSUN STATE SAYING: "We are here to conduct crowd management as a way of stopping the scourge of Ebola virus disease. We are here to make sure that people who are very sick don't get to the grove so that they will not pollute the system to the extent that the Ebola virus may then spread to people." VARIOUS OF PEOPLE GATHERED AT THE GROVE MAN PRAYING/WASHING HIS FACE WITH WATER PRIESTESS SPRAYING WATER ON A WOMAN ITEMS FOR PRAYING/BIRDS BY THE RIVER BANK (SOUNDBITE) (English) YAKUB MASHID, FESTIVAL GOER SAYING: "I don't know, I think whenever there is disease which is as dangerous as Ebola, people are afraid but I've been reading newspaper for last week and I think, besides, it's more or less under control I think." EXTERIOR OF SHOP VARIOUS OF ITEMS DISPLAYED OUTSIDE OF SHOP (SOUNDBITE) (Yoruba) IYABO AJANI, TRADER SAYING: "This year's Osun festival was not interesting at all, because we have not sold anything since morning. People that we were expecting to come did not come, we were expecting to get many people visiting our stalls but they didn't . We only saw few people which did not help our business to boom." EXTERIOR OF HOTEL IN OSUN SIGN READING "WELCOME TO LEISURE SPRING HOTELS" VARIOUS OF PEOPLE INSIDE HOTEL LOBBY RECEPTIONIST HOTEL MANAGER GOING THROUGH DOCUMENTS EXTERIOR OF HOTEL ROOMS (SOUNDBITE) (English) AMUSAN PETER, MANAGER, LEISURE SPRING HOTEL SAYING: "Because of the virus this year we have actually experienced low turn over but we hope that things will pick up next year by next year I hope they would have found the vaccine for the virus and we will not experience this again because the revenue is so low now that we're having like 20 percent occupancy unlike the 100 percent occupancy. As at last year, we still looked around to search for accommodation for people but we are begging people to come around now." VARIOUS OF PEOPLE GATHERED AT FESTIVAL
- Embargoed: 10th September 2014 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Nigeria
- Country: Nigeria
- Topics: Health,Travel / Tourism
- Reuters ID: LVA9GK5R4A8Y8T8IIJU6HXIQCOS9
- Story Text: Thousands of people recently converged on Osun forest outside Osogo city in Western Nigeria for the yearly peace and fertility festival.
The event has become one of Nigeria's most popular tourist attractions, with thousands of overseas visitors coming to experience the carnival atmosphere.
The festival celebrates the river goddess Osho-Igbo who is said to have to rescue people faced with hunger, poverty and infertility hundreds of years ago.
Legend has it, in ancient times, the people of Osogbo were healed by Osho-Igbo who would rise out of the river to answer their prayers and leave them with lasting peace and happiness as well as lots of off-spring.
But unlike previous events, this year's festival had a low turnout of tourists, following the recent breakout of Ebola in West Africa.
The hemorrhagic fever has killed at least 1,427 people, mostly in Sierra Leone, Liberia and neighbouring Guinea, the deadliest outbreak of the disease to date.
According to Nigeria's ministry of health, the total number of recorded cases in the country is now 14, with five deaths.
Authorities in Osun remained on high alert, and set up a medical centre to conduct Ebola screening on all festival goers.
Ebola awareness messages were evident throughout the festival site with posters and billboards reminding people how best to avoid catching the deadly virus .
"When we were coming in, actually, we were tested and I have the impression that there is no Ebola in Osun state and anyway, people have been praying that this particular Iya Osun (river goddess) should you know assist them so that they won't be infected by Ebola," said Folorunsho Olashimbo, a businessman, adding that he is certain the river goddess will protect all her worshippers.
Festival organisers said they were taking all precautions to alleviate fears of Ebola infection amongst festival goers.
"We are here to conduct crowd management as a way of stopping the scourge of Ebola virus disease. We are here to make sure that people who are very sick don't get to the grove so that they will not pollute the system to the extent that the Ebola virus may then spread to people," said Kayode Ogunniyi, Director of Primary Health Care and Disease Control in Osun state.
Draped in elaborately decorated cloths, festival goers shout and dance to the sound of drums as they walk down to the river where worshippers pour water on each other and pray for peace.
But despite fears of the virus, spirits remained high amongst festival goers.
"I don't know, I think whenever there is disease which is as dangerous as Ebola, people are afraid but I've been reading newspaper for last week and I think, besides, it's more or less under control I think," said one festival goer, Yakub Mashid.
The event also attracts hundreds of local artists and craftsmen and women who set up temporary stalls at the festival selling everything from handmade decorations to musical instruments and traditional Nigerian clothes.
But many traders here say this year's festival was disappointing, as they struggled to make sales, as a result of poor turnout due to Ebola fears.
"This year's Osun festival was not interesting at all, because we have not sold anything since morning. People that we were expecting to come did not come, we were expecting to get many people visiting our stalls but they didn't. We only saw few people which did not help our business to boom," said Iyabo Ajani, a trader.
But it was not just small-scale traders feeling the pinch, local hotels also suffered from low turnout.
"Because of the virus this year we have actually experienced low turn over but we hope that things will pick up next year by next year I hope they would have found the vaccine for the virus and we will not experience this again because the revenue is so low now that we're having like 20 percent occupancy unlike the 100 percent occupancy. As at last year, we still looked around to search for accommodation for people but we are begging people to come around now," said Amusan Peter, a manager at the local Leisure Spring hotel.
Myths and legends play a large part in Nigerian folklore and continue to be a major part of people's spiritual and cultural lives today.
Many are hopeful that next year's festival will see a return of the event to its former glory, attracting visitors from across the world. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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