Ataoja of Osogbo, Oba Jimoh Olanipekun, has called for repackaging of Yoruba culture to make the beliefs more acceptable to people outside the race.

The royal father spoke in Osogbo, Osun State capital, on Friday, while receiving Global Equity Group, the new consultant for Osun-Osogbo Festival in his palace.

He said when his mother had him, she was told to nurse the new baby with water from River Osun to prevent him from dying.

The monarch said his mother usually visited the Osun River every five days to fetch water needed to nurse him.

“Miraculously, that was how I survived the fate that befell the 17 children of my mother,” Oba Olanipekun said.

He explained that the annual Osun festival was centred around a covenant between Osun goddess and the first Ataoja, Oba Larooye, adding that before the grand finale, several events had been lined up.

“The annual celebration of Osun Osogbo is simply to bring back the memories of how the town came into being. A hunter, Timehin, found the River Osun and went back to Ipole, where his friend, Oba Larooye, and others were staying to inform them of the development.

“It was Oba Larooye that led his people to the bank of the river where they all settled. The River goddess, during the encounter with Oba Larooye, entered into covenant with him. That is essentially what Osun celebration is all about,” Oba Olanipekun added.

On the plans for the festival, the representative of Global Equity Group, Williams Derrick, said it would witness a number of innovations to make it more attractive to the global community.