There was a heavy security presence in Osogbo on Friday as the annual Osun-Osogbo festival reached its climax. Security patrol vans with armed personnel were also sighted within and around the groove. The Osun-Osogbo festival, which dates back several centuries, is traditionally held in a sacred groove on the outskirts of Osogbo between July and August. In recognition of its cultural and global significance, the Osun Sacred Grove was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2005. For the people of Osogbo, the festival symbolises the traditional cleansing of the town and a cultural reunion with their ancestors and founders.