Why Osun river goddess is called the goddess that gives children (Fertility) ?

Osun festival is one of the most crowded festivals in Nigeria. This festival do come up around August and everyone that's linked with tradition would always like to be in Oshogbo, Osun State where the festival normally take place.

Osun festival always take place in Osun riverside where everyone would converge to worship the Osun river goddess and the festival arena is always filled with people from different tribes, cultures, lineages even the whites sometimes do show up because they are always amazed with how the local dancers, hunters and traditionalist showcase their performance. Traditional ruler within and outside Osun state are always present at the festival.

To appease the river goddess, a virgin lady, dressed in white robe, is required to carry a calabash filled with kolanuts, fruits and some other items for the appeasement of the goddess. The lady will carried the calabash from the Osun shrine to the river area and a woman called the "yeye Osun" would be with the lady until they get to the riverside where all the proper things will be done to appease the godess. After the splitting of the kolanuts, all the traditionalist and magicians will display the performance.

The yeye Osun would evoke the spirit of the water goddess which is in forma of a mermaid and as soon she shows up the calabash is given to her in which she picks a fruit and spit it into the calabash. All these fruits would be given to those that are in need of fruit of the womb to eat and also they will be required to drink the water. Upon their believe that as they have eat and drink the water that by this time next year when they are coming for the Osun festival,they would have already their own child.

This was the main reason why the Osun goddess is called the goddess that gives children (FERTILITY).