Presidential candidate and activist Omoyele Sowore has condemned the use of a 10-year-old princess, Alimot Osunbunmi, to carry the sacred calabash at the 2026 Osun-Osogbo Festival, describing the practice as child abuse.
Sowore criticised the decision following the annual procession to the Osun Sacred Grove in Osogbo, Osun State, on Friday, August 7, where the young princess performed the revered role of Arugba by carrying the sacred calabash as part of the festival’s traditional rites.
Organisers hailed Alimot’s participation as “history in the making”, as she became the youngest person ever to occupy the revered position.
But Sowore sharply rejected the justification, arguing that a 10-year-old remains a child and cannot independently give informed consent to participate in such a demanding traditional ritual.
The young princess was selected through traditional Ifa divination in March 2025 to become the new Arugba, succeeding Osuntomi Ewatomi, who reportedly held the position for about 12 years before her marriage ended her tenure.
While the festival organisers presented Alimot’s selection as a historic milestone, Sowore insisted that tradition must not override the rights and protection of a child.
His intervention has reignited debate over the intersection of culture, traditional religious practices and child protection, particularly where minors are assigned significant ritual responsibilities.
Sowore’s position is unequivocal: a cultural tradition cannot be allowed to become a justification for exposing a child to practices she is too young to fully consent to.
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