Ojude Oba which means king’s fore-court in Yoruba language is usually celebrated with Pomp and pageantry by about 1,000,000 people from different parts of the world and Nigeria, especially those from Yoruba origin and most especially by people of Ijebu descent all over the world.
Let’s move forward into looking at five major highlights and things to note about the popular Ojude Oba Festival.
Annual Celebration
The Ojude Oba festival in Ijebu Ode is a lively and colorful event celebrated annually by the Ijebu people of Ogun State on the third day of Ileya (Eid Kabir).
This festival honors the traditional ruler of the town, the Awujale of Ijebuland. It’s a grand cultural spectacle where various age groups and families come together to pay respects, display their rich cultural heritage, and revel in music, dance, and horse-riding performances.
Oba Adetona was the one that brought back the age groups in the 18th century into the general acceptable phenomenon that is found among today’s Ijebus, and this has become an integral part of the yearly Ojude Oba festival in Ijebu. The reason for the age groups was to bring development and progress to the community.
The festival is a magnificent display of unity and tradition within the Yoruba culture.
Homage to the Paramount Ruler
The central focus of Ojude Oba is to pay tribute to the Paramount Ruler of the Ijebu Kingdom, the Awujale of Ijebu. This festival offers the Ijebu people a chance to express their respect and loyalty to their king.
Unity and Cultural Heritage
The festival promotes unity among families, clans, and the dedicated sons and daughters of the Great Kingdom. It gathers different cultural age groups, known as regberegbe, along with indigenes, friends, and associates from near and far.
Community Contributions
These regberegbe groups and families contribute uniquely to society, often through community projects within the Ijebu Kingdom. The festival serves not only as a cultural celebration but also as a time for communal development.
Notable Balogun Families
Prominent among the families associated with Ojude Oba are the Balogun families, renowned for their horse riding and distinctive lifestyle. Some notable Balogun families include:
1. The Balogun Kuku family
2. The Balogun Alatise family
3. The Balogun Agboola Alausa family
4. The Balogun Otubu family
5. The Balogun Adesoye family
6. The Balogun Odejayi family
7. The Balogun Adesoye Onasanya family
8. The Balogun Shote family
9. The Balogun Aregbesola family
10. The Balogun Ajibike Odedina family
11. The Balogun Odunuga family
