(Photos) Ojude Oba 2025: How Millions of Global Dignitaries Participated In The Glamorous Festival
- By Metropolix ~
- June 9, 2025 --
- 0 Comment
–– Ojude Oba Festival
By St. Johnson Adegboyega
Millions of dignitaries participated in the 2025 edition of the globally renowned Ojude Oba Festival, the event’s organising committee revealed.
Ojude Oba, is no doubt one of the biggest festivals in Nigeria and originated from Ijebu Ode, a popular town in Yoruba extraction of the western part of Nigeria. Prominent sons and daughters of the kingdom parade onl horseback with their families and pay homage to the Royal Majesty, the Awujale of Ijebuland.
–— One of the cynosure of the festival, Farooq Oreagba doing his horse riding
The more than 200-year-old festival is a vital cultural heritage for the Ijebu people and a beacon of Nigeria’s rich traditions.
The festival drew Ijebu sons and daughters from across the world, along with tourists and dignitaries who came to witness the vibrant celebration of culture, fashion, and tradition at the Utoro Centre in Ijebu-Ode.
The Ojude Oba Festival is not only a unifying force for the Ijebu people but also boosts local economies and promotes Nigerian culture on the global stage.
— Former governor of Ogun State, Otunba Gbenga Daniel at the festival
The festival featured colourful regalia, age-grade (Regberegbe) processions, equestrian displays, and spirited cultural celebrations.
The Nigerian Police, NSCDC, DSS, the military, Amotekun Corps, and the Vigilante Group of Nigeria, among others, were fully on ground to prevent any breach of security.
History of Ojude Oba:
Ojude Oba which represents “the King’s fore-court or frontage”, could also be translated as “Majestic outing”.
During the reign of Awujale Ademuyewo Afidipotemole in 1878, a slave identified as Alli who later became Alli-Tubogun began open practice of Islam. He received his master’s blessing to practice his religion without any barrier, obstruction and fear of any persecution. Due to this one-man effort coupled with the endorsement of his master, Islam began to grow, attracting so many converts and by 1880, local mosques were built at many wards in Ijebu-Ode.
In 1896, an incident and drama occurred on 27 September, when two reverends, Rev. R.A Conner and Rev. E.W George baptised 41 Ijebu-men with their proclamation to keep just one wife out of the many they had earlier married. This incident caused a chief whose name was identified as Chief Balogun Kuku, a prominent Ijebu son to relinquish Christianity and to embrace Islam which encourage polygamy because he had over thirty wives, over 200 slaves and other ardent followers. The chief’s extreme wealth coupled with the respects the Ijebus had for attracted many converts to Islam.
Ojude Oba festival is a successor of the Odeda festival, which was also an annual event in which the worshippers of several traditional religions such as Sango, Egungu, Osun, Ogun, Yemule and so on come together to showcase their identities by dancing in turns to drums and songs in front of the Awujale, Olisa, various other important chiefs and the people of the town.
Chief Balogun Kuku, who was a party to the Odeda festival until he converted to Islam could no longer participate in the festival and then he decided to replace the Odeda festival with a new one which will conform with his new religion.[4] This birthed the Ita-Oba festival which has now metamorphosed into what is known as Ojude Oba Festival. The festival has since been accepted not just by the Ijebus at home, but also by millions of people within and outside Nigeria. The festival is usually attended by over 250,000 people across the six geopolitical zones of Nigeria.
Photos at Ojude Oba Festival:
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