Osun-Osogbo Sacred Grove

• Urban development close to the property
• Road construction around the property
• Pollution of the Osun River
• Bush fires within the property
• Adverse impact of the commercialisation of the annual festival
• Fragility of spiritual, symbolic and ritual qualities of the Grove in the face of a growth in visitor numbers and the lack of a tourism management plan
• Road through property not re-aligned
• Inappropriate restoration and reconstruction

In 2020: USD 49,620 from the UNESCO / Netherlands Funds-in-Trust for the Development of a Conservation Methodology, training, digital documentation and review of the Conservation Management Plan

A joint World Heritage Centre/ICOMOS/ICCROM Reactive Monitoring mission visited the property in August 2023 (mission report available at https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1118/documents/).

On 22 February 2024, the State Party submitted a state of conservation report, which is available at https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1118/documents/. Progress in a number of conservation issues addressed by the Committee at its previous sessions is presented in this report, as follows:

• The National Commission for Museums and Monuments (NCMM), the Osun State Government, the Ataoja-in-Council, the Adunni Olorisa Trust Foundation (AOTF) and relevant stakeholders collaborate on the management of the property;
• Following on from the recent digital documentation of the shrines, the AOTF and the NCMM are documenting material maintenance and repairs;
• Discussions continue on the agreement with the Ataoja of Osogbo to share revenue from the annual Osun festival for the conservation of the property;
• Discussions continue on the diversion of the current road to the outskirts of the property based on a letter of commitment from the Osun State Government;
• The Osun River is not polluted, in part due to the efforts of the management stakeholders. New water tests have been commissioned and water-safety campaigns continue. Federal ministries have undertaken action to stop illegal gold mining in the region;
• The failure to report the collapse of the Busanyin Shrine was an oversight. Digital documentation of the shrine and a Flood Mitigation Masterplan have been compiled through support of the United States Ambassadors Fund and will be submitted to the World Heritage Centre. Interim flood mitigation measures are in place;
• The fragile property is now managed through a Conservation Management Plan (CMP). The State Party notes that no extreme threats currently exist;
• During the 2023 Reactive Monitoring mission, it was established that cement was a primary material used by Austrian artist Susanne Wenger in her processes. Her methods were transferred to the New Sacred Artists, who are integral to conservation and maintenance works. Consequently, the sculptures and shrines retain their authenticity. A Conservation Strategy, which is being funded by the Kingdom of the Netherlands Funds-in-Trust, will be submitted to the World Heritage Centre;
• The review and updating of the CMP are on hold pending the report of the 2023 Reactive Monitoring mission.

The State Party’s willingness to proceed with updating the CMP and compiling a Conservation Strategy is welcome.

The 2023 joint World Heritage Centre/ICOMOS/ICCROM Reactive Monitoring mission reports that the state of conservation is relatively good overall. It notes that progress has been made in addressing pollution, decay, and riverbank erosion, but identified challenges persist, particularly concerning the conservation of the sacred 20th century artworks. As noted in previous reports, cement was the original material used in the creation of the sculptures by Austrian artist Susanne Wenger. However, cement is susceptible to cracking and water ingress, leading to corrosion of the internal steel reinforcements. The 2023 mission recommends that conservation of the sculptures, including small repairs, should take preference over reconstruction. As previously reported, reconstructive processes are of considerable concern in relation to the authenticity of the property as multiple recreations over time will not support authenticity and must be avoided. The need for future reconstruction can be reduced through the application of alternative conservation processes and materials. Accurate and detailed inventories are also needed of all the 20th century artworks setting out their forms at the time of inscription and any changes since. The draft updated CMP should be submitted to the World Heritage Centre for review by the Advisory Bodies.

At the time of inscription, the ecological restoration of the primary forest, parts of which are included in the buffer zone, was identified as a primary management goal. The 2023 mission notes that since then, approximately 28% of the buffer zone has been converted through encroachment, and no clear delineation maps of the property are available to the management. A car park is now planned in the buffer zone. The 2023 mission recommends for a review to be undertaken to assess past measures aimed at ecological restoration, and to implement measures to reverse encroachments and reductions of the primary forest since the time of inscription.

The reported collaboration between stakeholders in the management of the property is essential to ensure the maintenance of its OUV. The discussions to share revenue from the annual Osun festival for the conservation of the property (previously reported in 2023) and relocate the road out of the property are important. The road relocation was foreseen in the Management Plan at the time of inscription and the Committee then requested that the State Party provide information, as soon as possible, on the closure of the tarmac road. The State Party should urgently continue with its discussions and submit to the World Heritage Centre the details of the alignment of the proposed road, the design of the bridge and plans for downgrading the existing road before their implementation.

The State Party report that the Osun River is not polluted is welcome, as this water is used by worshippers. However, the 2023 mission reported that pollution remains a source of concern. As no details of past water tests are provided, it is unclear if the continued water-safety campaigns are sufficient to ensure that worshippers are not at risk. In its 2021 state of conservation report, the State Party noted that the Osun State had agreed to carry out regular sampling of water in the Osun River. The 2023 mission highlights that testing needs to be undertaken on a regular basis. Sharing the outcomes of past and new tests will allow for the analysis of trends in water quality.