| She is the symbol of a people who live in the | | | | the grove of the goddess, requesting her to |
| south west part of Nigeria. 'Oronshen' it is not | | | | continue to protect the kingdom. His dance is the |
| really her name but it is the name she is identified | | | | climax of weeks of preparation. You see in every |
| with it. A festival in her honor has been celebrated | | | | man, woman and child of Owo, the pride of |
| since the 15th century in Owo kingdom and | | | | community in the pristine worship they give. |
| faithfully every year, for a period of three weeks, | | | | Owo kingdom has a distinct culture; religion and a |
| the people of Owo remember a love affair, | | | | class system that will make some Western |
| jealousy, betrayal and worship. It is a universal | | | | cultures ask themselves why they ever tried to |
| theme you will find in any history, Western or | | | | call Africans savages! If you look closely you will |
| otherwise. It is deification that underlines the finest | | | | find it is the same thing all over the world. |
| emotion of sacrifice and fidelity. Who was this | | | | Ignorance breeds fear and creates superstitions; it |
| lady? | | | | is the hallmark of the seeking man. Experience |
| In the true manner of legends and myth, she was | | | | lends him knowledge and clarity and makes him |
| half human, half spiritual being who was | | | | progress. No one is so perfect that does need to |
| discovered by a hunter late at night while on his | | | | look for areas of improvement. Maybe if we |
| hunting trip. The hunter took the lady home and | | | | factor this information into our psyche we might |
| she lived with him not as a wife but as a guest. | | | | earn respect for each other's culture and be |
| However a neighboring powerful king, the king of | | | | tolerant of what makes us different. You do not |
| Owo, saw her and fell in love with her. He married | | | | call a collection of weeds a garden. However |
| her and thus started off a train of jealousy and | | | | plants of different hues and colors make up the |
| rage from the other queens in the palace. | | | | garden that is creation. We are all guest of |
| 'Oronshen was stunningly beautiful, brought riches | | | | creation, atheists, agnostics, believers and |
| and good counseling to the king. He was | | | | fundamentalists. The creator teaches us a lesson |
| immersed in her. The queens unable to tolerate | | | | by the opportunity he provides for us to learn |
| being so totally upstaged decided to find out what | | | | from our differences |
| was her secret. Every god or goddess has an | | | | What is the lesson of Oronshen? |
| Achilles heel, and the other queens soon | | | | That love is universal, in its dark shades, and light |
| discovered it through seduction and trickery. | | | | illuminations. When we hate, we deny ourselves |
| Her taboos broken, Oronshen disappeared into the | | | | the opportunity to experience the greatest |
| forest never to be seen again. There is no grave | | | | emotion of all! |
| of this goddess lending immortality, mystery, and | | | | Love is the axis on which creation swings. It helps |
| excitement to her. There is however archeological | | | | us to grow. So each year, the people of Owo are |
| proof of the existence of worship of a festival | | | | given the opportunity to reflect on the |
| that was instituted by the grieving king and his | | | | consequences of a lack of love, they renew a |
| chiefs that the entire kingdom joined in. | | | | commitment to a symbol of Love that unifies |
| In commemoration of the love and service she | | | | them. They remember Oronshen, their own |
| rendered to the kingdom. A festival is enacted | | | | Venus. |
| every year. The king is decked out in coral beads | | | | There is a Venus in every culture that reminds us |
| made into a stunning beautiful blouse, he has a | | | | of the essential redeeming quality of man. When |
| white wrap as skirt round him, his hair is in braids | | | | we find our Venus, we may find the rationale to |
| like a woman, he has heavy coral beads on his | | | | be better than yesterday and move more |
| wrists and with his golden sword, he dances to | | | | confidently into tomorrow. |