Ijebu Ode, Ogun State – Every year, just three days after Eid-El-Fitr, the royal city of Ijebu Ode transforms into a glittering arena of tradition, regality, and Yoruba excellence. The Ojude Oba Festival, a grand homage to the Awujale of Ijebuland, has grown from a local cultural ritual into one of Africa’s most iconic spectacles—rivalling global cultural celebrations in colour, scale, and significance.
This year’s edition, Ojude Oba 2025, was particularly memorable. Among the glittering crowd of royals, dignitaries, and international visitors, one man once again stole the show: Farooq Oreagba, the tattooed, cigar-holding cancer survivor whose commanding fashion sense and cultural pride made him a global sensation in 2024. Arriving on horseback in regal Yoruba attire—beaded, braided, and bold—Oreagba reclaimed his crown as the “King of Steeze.”
“I don’t just wear Yoruba culture—I live it,” Oreagba told a cheering crowd. “Our elegance is our identity.”
Ojude Oba: A Festival Rooted in Faith and Cultural Unity
Ojude Oba, meaning “the King’s Forecourt”, is traditionally celebrated three days after Eid-El-Fitr, similar in timing to the Durbar Festival in Northern Nigeria. This cultural synchronicity reveals the enduring influence of Islam on Yoruba society, just as it has shaped Hausa-Fulani traditions in the North. Both festivals reflect a deep integration of faith and royal loyalty—celebrating not just religion, but identity and heritage.
> Prof. Wole Soyinka, Nobel Laureate, once described Yoruba culture as “a harmony of oriki, resistance, elegance, and continuity. We are a people who do not forget.”
In similar fashion, the Ojude Oba Festival in Epe, Lagos State, continues to honour the Oba of Epe with pageantry that mirrors Ijebu Ode’s grandeur—underscoring the spiritual and cultural depth of Yoruba Islamic communities across South-West Nigeria.
Icons of Yoruba Excellence: A Legacy Beyond the Festival
The grandeur of Ojude Oba is matched only by the greatness of the people it honours. The Yoruba race, and in particular the Ijebu people, are globally celebrated for their entrepreneurial innovation, cultural leadership, and historical significance.
Among them:
Israel Adebajo, the visionary behind Nigeria’s first world-class printing press and paper converting plant, also founded Stationery Stores FC, the first private professional football club in Nigeria. His pioneering legacy was carried forward by his daughter, Princess Gloria Adebajo-Fraser, MFR, who became the first woman in the world to preside over a male professional football club.
Chief Adebowale of Adebowale Electrical became the first Nigerian to assemble electrical home appliances, setting the pace for industrial manufacturing in Nigeria.
Chief Obagun, another industrial icon, established a major paper mill that revolutionized schoolbook and stationery production across Nigeria.
Otunba Subomi Balogun, founder of First City Monument Bank (FCMB), was the first Nigerian to establish a world-class private commercial bank, inspiring a new era of indigenous banking.
Mike Adenuga, the reclusive billionaire behind Globacom and Conoil, embodies Yoruba tenacity in telecoms and energy.
Chief Chris Ogunbanjo, a pioneer of corporate law and commerce, helped shape Nigeria’s early industrial legal framework.
Chief Obafemi Awolowo, elder statesman and revered philosopher-leader, remains an ideological compass for progressive governance and Yoruba nationalism.
“The Ijebu and Yoruba are not only blessed with intellect and talent—they have turned enterprise into a culture,” said Princess Gloria Adebajo-Fraser, MFR. “From finance to fashion, industry to ideology, the Yoruba have led Nigeria in innovation, identity and integrity.”
A Festival of Comparison: Ojude Oba vs. Global Cultural Icons
When set beside Africa’s other grand festivals—Durbar in Kano, Fanti Carnival in Lagos, or Calabar Carnival—Ojude Oba stands out for its fusion of Islam, monarchy, and age-grade social systems. Internationally, it rivals Rio Carnival (Brazil), Notting Hill Carnival (UK), and Caribana (Canada) in scale and colour—but surpasses many in its spiritual gravitas.
The regberegbe (age-grade) processions are the heartbeat of the event. Elegantly dressed in uniform styles, each group marches in to pay homage to the Awujale, offering prayers, dancing, and praises. The result is a celebration that is both aesthetic and ancestral, steeped in dignity.
A People Who Remember, A Culture That Commands Respect
With over 100,000 attendees and an estimated ₦2.7 billion in tourism revenue this year, Ojude Oba 2025 reaffirmed its place as Nigeria’s premier indigenous festival—one that unites tradition, commerce, and identity.
But beyond the numbers, it is the spirit of the Yoruba that shines brightest. A people renowned for:
Creativity and artistry in fashion, film, and music.
Political sophistication from pre-colonial diplomacy to modern-day governance.
Academic excellence in literature, law, and global leadership.
Resilience and adaptation, both in Africa and the diaspora.
“To be Yoruba is to carry grace, intelligence, and a fierce sense of purpose,” said Princess Gloria Adebajo-Fraser, MFR. “Ojude Oba is not just a festival—it is a declaration of dignity.”
Conclusion
Ojude Oba 2025 was not simply a pageant of pageantry—it was a testament to the enduring genius of the Yoruba race. From Farooq Oreagba’s elegant ride to the brilliant regberegbe parades, from industrial pioneers like Adebajo and Subomi Balogun to cultural giants like Awolowo and Adenuga, the festival radiated one undeniable truth:
The Yoruba are not just witnesses of history—they are makers of it.
Dr. G. Fraser. MFR.
By Headlinenews.news
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