The Araba of Òṣogbo, Ifáyẹmí Elébuìbọn, has described the Arugba as a spiritual intermediary between the Òrìṣà and devotees, affirming the sacred significance of the institution amid renewed public discussion over the age of the current Arugba of the annual Ọ̀ṣun-Òṣogbo Festival.
Speaking in an interview , Elébuìbọn explained that the Arugba’s role should not be judged primarily by biological age, but by spiritual responsibility and traditional selection. He described the Arugba as a medium between the Òrìṣà and the people.
The Arugba is the young votary maid selected to carry the sacred calabash during the annual procession from the palace to the Ọ̀ṣun Sacred Grove, where the principal rituals of the festival take place. The office is deeply connected with the religious identity of Òṣogbo and the community’s annual renewal of its relationship with Yeye Ọ̀ṣun.
According to Elébuìbọn, the spiritual responsibility attached to the office should not be measured simply by physical age. He noted that some Arugba have historically assumed the responsibility at an even younger age, stressing that the institution is determined through traditional processes and spiritual considerations.
The comments came amid discussions surrounding Princess Alimot Osunbunmi, the current Arugba, who is 10 years old. Alimot, a member of the royal lineage of the Ataoja of Òṣogbo, was selected through traditional Ifá divination in March 2025 and subsequently took part in the sacred procession carrying the calabash during the festival.
Elébuìbọn’s explanation places the Arugba within a broader Yoruba religious understanding in which sacred responsibility can involve individuals whose physical age does not necessarily correspond to the spiritual significance of their office.
The Arugba’s central ritual responsibility is the carrying of the Igba Ọ̀ṣun, the sacred calabash containing offerings associated with the festival. At the Sacred Grove, the ritual continues under the direction of the traditional custodians, priests and the Ataoja.
The Araba further emphasised that the function of the Arugba is that of Àgbàlágbà—a sacred and spiritually significant responsibility, rather than an ordinary ceremonial function. The office, he stressed, is rooted in spirituality and the traditional relationship between Ọ̀ṣun and the people of Òṣogbo.
The Arugba remains one of the most recognisable figures of the Ọ̀ṣun-Òṣogbo Festival and an important symbol of the continuity of Yoruba traditional heritage.
For Elébuìbọn, her significance goes beyond the physical act of carrying the sacred calabash. She represents a ritual link through which the community approaches Yeye Ọ̀ṣun.
“Arugba is the mouthpiece, the medium between the Òrìṣà and the devotees,” the Araba of Òṣogbo said, underscoring the spiritual significance attached to one of the most important offices in the Ọ̀ṣun-Òṣogbo tradition.
