Ataoja (King) of Osogbo and Olori will visit Asheville and the surrounding region.

by Wallace Bohanan

The King of Osogbo (O-showg-bo) in Nigeria will lead a delegation to Asheville from May 1-10 as the guests of Sister Cities of Asheville. The delegation will include the King, one of his wives and his two sons, as well as artists, civil servants, and a physician.

The King is the traditional head of the Yoruba people in Osogbo. There are about a dozen groups of Yoruba people in Osogbo, each headed by a chief, and each chief and his people pay homage to the king.

Sister Cities International is a program of cultural exchanges and friendship with cities around the world, created in 1956 by the Eisenhower administration to improve global understanding and cooperation. Asheville’s first Sister City was Vladikavkaz in southern Russia, a relationship established in 1990; since then the group has affiliated with San Cristobal, Mexico (1994), Saumur, France (1996), Karpenisi, Greece (2004), Valladolid, Mexico (2006), and Osogbo (2008).

Two years ago a delegation from Asheville visited Osogbo, where they had an audience with the king, his Oloris (wives), the Yoruba chiefs, and special members of the king’s court. To share part of that experience, Sister Cities will screen Sangodare- Artist, Herbalist, Priest at the Fine Arts Theater on Saturday, May 1. The story of Sangodare, who will be part of the Osogbo delegation, was videotaped by committee member Rainer Doost, who will discuss the traditional Nigerian culture as well as tell what life is like in Osogbo.

The Osogbo delegation will be in Asheville from Saturday, May 1 until Monday, May 10. In addition to meeting with Mayor Bellamy and Buncombe County Commissioners on Tuesday, May 4, they will attend the Friday night Drum Circle in Prichard Park on May 7 and also participate in a special signing of the Sister Cities Agreement at the Pisgah View Ranch.

Other activities for the delegation include a trolley tour of Asheville, tours of Mission Hospital, UNC Asheville, and Warren Wilson College, and visits to the Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce, the Biltmore Estate visit, and Asheville Mall. There will also be a reception at The Aesthetic Gallery on College Street and a workshop at the Fiber Arts Alliance.

The king and his entourage will be guests of AB Tech, and other delegates will stay in the homes of members of Asheville Sister Cities. If you should see the delegation from Osgbo, Nigeria during that week, please give them a warm Asheville welcome. For more information visit AshevilleSisterCities.org.