Ọ̀ṣun StatueSaka Aremu · 1970

There are many places along the river which are considered sacred and are used for rituals. The bend in the river outside the main Ọ̀ṣun Shrine, which is known as Ibú Ojúbọ Òṣogbo, is where the annual Ọ̀ṣun festival finds its climax.The current statue was created by Saka Aremu in the early 1970s and has become the iconic image of the goddess and indeed the Sacred Groves. In the words of Ulli Beier: ‘Saka’s figure represents the archaic force of water, it reminds us that Oshun is also a wild, dangerous force, not merely the charming, seductive woman. Even in her full strength and awesome dignity, however, Oshun is an òrìṣà who inspires confidence’.It was the third figure to be erected in the same spot: The first was destroyed by the river itself; the second statue of Ọ̀ṣun was by Ojewale Amoo, which - according to Susanne Wenger - ‘fell down when Ojewale inadvertently violated one of the goddess’ taboos’. Depending on the season, the statue of Ọ̀ṣun is either fully visible standing on a fish – which some believe is ikọ̀, her messenger – or is partly, sometimes nearly fully, submerged in the waters of her river.