Like the proverbial bitter kola that does not miss every season, a vibrant multitude of Ijebu sons and daughters again converged on Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State, on Saturday in resplendent attire and enviable steeze.
With passionate fervour, they consolidated their position as a larder of cultural reverence and a display of a stupendously rich artistic heritage.
It was at the 2026 Ojude Oba Festival, which First City Monument Bank sponsored. The event attracted many visitors and gracefully unfolded as a feast of spectacles, colours, grandeur, and an unbreakable bond.
For one, the great ‘omo alares’, as Ijebus are traditionally praised, proved that although their much-adored legendary monarch, Oba Sikiru Kayode Adetona, has joined his ancestors, out of sight is not out of mind.
They established this by fulfilling all the elevated processes of the festival, which the departed crown had assiduously worked to elevate to the extraordinary height that everyone now cherishes and tries to copy, if not clone, in some places.
Regberegbe splendour and horse-riding spectacle
In the wisdom of a Yoruba proverb, ‘Eegunomode nii koko jo ki t’agba to jo’, meaning the young masquerades perform before the elderly ones.
But in the Ojude Oba Festival tradition, the reverse is the case, perhaps interestingly buttressing the message in another adage which says ‘Eegun to ba ko jo, iran ni a wo ni’gbeyin’: the masquerade who dances first eventually ends up as a spectator.
From around 10 am, when the programmes formally started, it was the oldest Regberegbe age grades that, in venerable glamour, opened the breathtaking, yet very disciplined, parade that is the soul of the festival.
The senior men and women had been part of the festival for decades. Yet, their enthusiasm and passion burned with youthful flames as they straddled the clapping pavilion with graceful aesthetics.
Then the younger groups followed in theatrical rounds, thrilling the crowd in a healthy cultural competition. But trust the horse-riding families. When their turn came late afternoon, the warriors in their blood played out as they upped the game with prancing dance steps and friendly gunshots.
At the end of the day, Egbe Bobakeye emerged as the overall winner in the male category, while Egbe Arobayo Obinrin Precious achieved the same in the female category. The Balogun Kuku Family won in the horse-riding category.
Celebrities, steeze and cultural ambassadors
Meanwhile, the expansive feast was boosted by the presence of celebrities, including Nollywood stars Eniola Badmus, Adeniyi Johnson, Mercy Aigbe, Femi Branch, Idowu Phillips, aka Mama Rainbow, and Dayo Amusa.
While daughter-of-the-soil waka Queen SalawaAbeni and content creator Samuel Banks were also part of the carnival, the king of steeze himself, Farooq Oreagba, stormed the pavilion with his trademark charismatic horseback entrance. He was never disappointed in his commanding regalia and acclaimed candour.
FCMB’s enduring partnership with Ojude Oba
Of course, Mr Oreagba’s participation was symbolic in two respects. Firstly, he was the deserved legend everyone wanted to behold. Secondly, he serves as a cultural ambassador for FCMB, the prime sponsor of the Ojude Oba Festival.
The bank’s presence at the event was so robust and strategic that its tender, purple, and illuminating yellow corporate insignia was visible on every cardinal point of the festival ground and the city itself.
From FCMB’s elegantly built pavilion-within-pavilion stand in the arena, to the colourfully draped team it deployed, to the gifts the bank presented to the royalty when it was its turn to parade, then to the bountiful financial support it gave for the programme, the bank is indeed a blessing to the cultural growth of not only Ijebu-Ode but Nigeria at large.
Honouring Oba Adetona’s legacy
In his goodwill message at the festival, Group Chief Executive, FCMB Group Plc, Ladi Balogun, underscored the above dynamics. According to him, he joined the Regent, Acting Awujale, Olorogun (Dr.) with pride and reflection. Sonny Folorunsho Kuku, the Ijebu traditional institution, the Ojude Oba Festival Committee, and all the people of Ijebuland will celebrate the 2026 edition, describing the festival as “a true symbol of our culture.”
Mr Balogun said, “This year’s festival holds special significance as we honour the legacy of His Royal Majesty, Oba (Dr.) Sikiru Kayode Adetona, CFR, the Awujale and Paramount Ruler of Ijebuland, whose passing in 2025 marked the end of one of the most consequential royal reigns in Nigeria’s history.
“For over six decades, Kabiyesi embodied disciplined leadership, dignity, and progress. He strengthened the traditional institution, elevated Ijebuland’s profile on the national stage, and transformed Ojude Oba into a cultural platform that promotes heritage, creativity, and economic growth.
“Beyond culture, Oba Adetona strongly believed in advancing his people. He championed education, development, unity, and responsible leadership. He understood that preserving tradition must go hand in hand with preparing future generations for opportunity and progress. That vision continues to shape Ijebuland today.”
He also acknowledged and commended the steady leadership of the Regent and Acting Awujale, Olorogun Sonny Folorunsho Kuku, noting his calm stewardship and dedication to continuity, which, he said, reflected the enduring strength and stability of the Ijebu traditional institution.
Driving culture, enterprise and community growth
On the bank’s support for Ojude Oba, the GMD stated: “For over 20 years, FCMB has remained a committed partner of the Ojude Oba Festival. Our support amplifies a longstanding belief in the importance of preserving heritage, strengthening communities, and creating opportunities for inclusive and sustainable growth.
“Today, Ojude Oba stands as a cultural celebration and a driver of enterprise and economic activity. Its growing impact supports livelihoods, strengthens communities, and reinforces the values that will shape the future of Ijebuland.”
FCMB’s kind of grand support for the Ojude Oba Festival indeed spells a lesson other blessed personalities, corporate or otherwise, should embrace to guarantee the cultural revival everyone craves. With all hands on deck, the indigenes themselves, the Ogun State Government, and a company like FCMB, it is not surprising that it (the festival) is a resounding success.
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Arguably the biggest fashion parade on the continent and beyond, the Ojude Oba Festival showcased the best of Yoruba dresses, such as aso oke, aran, ankara, and adire, with fabrics from other worlds, including exotic damask and lace varieties, flowing in variegated colours and marvellous styles.
But beyond fashion, it was also a panorama of songs and poetic vibrations with which the regberegbe celebrated the monarchy while also exploiting some to assert their supremacy over others.
Music, commerce and the festival economy
But who would forget the role played by chip-off-the-old-block apala maestro, Musiliu Haruna Ishola, who ruled the bandstand from morning till evening? From the cultural to the historical, from the socio-political to the satirical, he kept many people dancing and singing along, with some gleefully blessing him with money.
The artiste, whose limelight has shone for about two decades, also endlessly sang the praises of dignitaries like Governor Dapo Abiodun, the chief host whose 66th birthday coincided with the 2026 Ojude Oba festival; former Governor Gbenga Daniel; All Progressives Congress governorship candidate in the state, Olamilekan Adeola Solomon (Yayi); and the son of President Bola Tinubu, Seyi Tinubu.
Beyond entertainment, heritage, and reunion values, the festival also provided locals with an opportunity to make money, as more people bought the various products they had for sale.
