2026 Ojude Oba Festival to Honour Late Awujale’s Legacy, Coordinator Insists Celebration Holds

The coordinator of the Ojude Oba festival in Ijebu Ode, Prof. Fassy Yusuf, announced on Tuesday that this year’s edition will be dedicated to celebrating the legacy of the late Awujale of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Kayode Adetona, who passed away in July last year at the age of 91 after a 65-year reign.

Speaking at a world press conference held at the Awujale palace, Yusuf dismissed social media claims that the festival would not hold due to the monarch’s transition. He disclosed that the late traditional ruler had explicitly warned that the annual celebration must never be suspended on account of his death or any interregnum.

The coordinator explained that the theme for the 2026 festival is “Ojude Oba 2026: Celebrating The Legacy of Oba Sikiru Adetona”, inspired by the late king’s visionary leadership and transformational impact on Ijebuland. He described the monarch as a barrier-breaker who redefined the institution of monarchy and elevated Ijebu culture globally.

Yusuf stressed that the festival transcends any personality, being a timeless cultural heritage rooted in the identity and unity of the Ijebu people. He argued that suspending it would have undermined decades of cultural preservation and inflicted losses on tourism and the local economy.

The grand finale of the 2026 Ojude Oba festival is scheduled for Friday, May 29, two days after the Eid-el-Adha (Ileya) celebration. Expected special guests of honour include the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, Governor Dapo Abiodun and his wife, Mrs. Bamidele Abiodun, as well as the Minister of Arts, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy, Barrister Hannatu Musa Musawa.

This year’s event will feature about 90 male and female age grades (Regberegbe) in elaborate traditional attire, alongside 25 distinguished families of warlords and warrior lineages who will take part in equestrian displays and horse riding to the festival pavilion to pay homage to the Awujale.

Historical accounts recall that the Ojude Oba festival originated from the Muslim community’s gesture of appreciation to the monarch for granting them freedom to practise their religion peacefully.

Over time, this tradition evolved into a major cultural festival attracting millions of visitors from across Nigeria and the diaspora, serving as a symbol of religious tolerance and communal harmony.