The sun rose over Ijebu-Ode on Sunday, June 8, 2025, to unveil an explosion of colour and culture at the annual Ojude Oba Festival. An event that has, over time, transformed from a religious homage into one of Nigeria’s most visually arresting cultural spectacles.
As the third day after Eid al-Kabir dawned, the town’s arteries pulsed with the steady march of regberegbe (age-grade cohorts) steeped in pride, clad in coordinated fabrics—Aso‑Oke, adire, sanyan and lace—that proclaimed allegiance and individual expression in equal measure. Each group, distinct in hue and manner, filed past the Awujale’s pavilion, offering homage, prayers, and theatrical dance in a moving portrait of generational unity.
If Ojude Oba ever deserved a fashion award, 2025 sealed the deal. Social media, especially X and Instagram, were awash with striking ensembles. Highlights included the return of Farooq Oreagba, the “King of Steeze”, who rode in on horseback wearing a lavish agbada; his regal style once more capturing hearts and imaginations online, effortlessly retaining his 2025 Ojude Oba title. Similarly, familiar faces alongside celebrated icons like Akin Faminu, Tayo Odueke, and Governor Dapo Abiodun all graced the festival in regal agbadas.
The Balogun horsemen (descendants of Ijebu warriors) rode in with ceremonial canopies of flurry and flourish. Adorned stallions, crackling gun salutes, and rhythmic traditional wartime chants transformed the arena into a cinematic tableau of heritage. New to the limelight this year was Kofoworola Kuku, a female rider whose grace and a Kuku dynasty cap have sparked admiration and viral sharings across platforms. The ceremony resonated with echoes of ancestral pageantry and contemporary feminist pride.
The 2025 Ojude Oba Festival also drew notable figures from the entertainment industry, including music stars like Lil Kesh, Vector, and Bizzle Osikoya. Nollywood heavyweights such as Lateef Adedimeji and Femi Branch were also in attendance, bringing a blend of screen charisma and cultural homage with their stately appearances.
Ojude Oba’s roots trace back to 19th‑century Islamic-Yoruba unity, where early converts paid tribute to the Awujale’s tolerance. Today’s festival channels that same communal spirit, but with modern stakes: digital storytelling, cultural tourism, and identity affirmation. It amplifies community pride in intergenerational chorus and bolsters local economies—from tailors and artisans in Ijebu-Ode to startups packaging Aso-Oke globally.
The 2025 Ojude Oba was a living canvas where generations danced ancestral identity into the future through regalia and rodeo, prayer and pageantry, offline meaning and online momentum. And whether this year’s event was experienced in Ijebu-Ode’s heat or via a 720p reel, the festival showcased the resounding cultural clarity of generations before.
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