OJUDE OBA: IJEBUS CELEBRATION OF GLAMOUR It is a celebration of splendour, a gathering of glamour, a carnival of conviviality, a radiation of royalty, a festival of fashion, a parade of paragons, a durbar of distinction and a coronation of tradition. It is Ojude-Oba festival in Ijebu- Ode. There is no other celebration like it in Ijebuland, none like it in Ogun State; there is not one that can rival it in Yorubaland, and very few can match it in Nigeria. It is one celebration that pulls people from divergent backgrounds. It is one day that the poor forget their poverty, the rich their wealth, the sick their malady, the entrepreneurs their businesses, the worried their cares and even the insane their insanity. Nothing else matters but the beauty of other person and the other persons beauty does not matter as much as the majesty of the oba, the royal head of the Ijebu nation. It is the exultation of tradition; the celebration of culture and the acclamation of the Awujale of Ijebuland. History Though it has its history in religion, the yearly event has transcended religion as it is a time for jubilation for all sons and daughters of Ijebuland. The festival was said to have started when the first set of Muslim converts in Ijebu-Ode decided to pay homage to the Awujale two days after their first Eid-el kabir in the town. They had gone to the palace to visit the Awujale, present him with festival gifts, which included part of the ram they had slaughtered for the celebration and to pray with him. The Awujale was said to have been so pleased with the gesture of the Muslims that he had asked for an encore the following year. Thus, what was meant to be a one off event turned out to be a recurring occurrence. Celebration of unity Ojude-Oba has undergone a series of transformation since it started over a century ago. Now, it is not just an occasion for Muslims to pay an annual homage to the traditional ruler, though it is still observed two days after the Eid-el-kabir celebration, but an opportunity for the people of the town to celebrate their king. Thus, it no longer has any religious colouration but is regarded as a celebration of unity. It affords the people to come together to celebrate one another and their king. It affords the indigenes, both at home and in the Diaspora to invite their friends to their root to savour the best of African tradition and culture. The whole town moves in batches to pay homage to the king in his palace. As part of their homage to the Awujale, the batches, known as regberegbe (age groups), will dance before the king one after the other. The dance is not just a movement to the lyrics of the provided music but also an occasion to show off the latest wardrobe acquisi-tion of the age group. Each group takes time to look for the best in the world of fashion to put on for the visit to the palace. The festival has the panache of a fashion show. It is a time for men and women alike to flaunt their latest fabrics. From exotic lace attires to striking shoes, bags, jewelleries and other fashion accessories, the venue of the festival always comes alive with a display of colours. There is always a new design of Etu and Aso Oke always come alive. Ditto for damask, guinea and other materials. They are always well cut and embroidered. The Ijebu people wont mind to save their best for this festival. This particular aspect of the celebration has come under severe criticism that the festival encourages ostentation, but the defence of the Ijebu has always been that coming before the king in a presentable manner is not an invitation to break a bank because being presentable and being ostentatious are miles apart. They also claim that there are groups that choose ankara for their visit to the Awujale and they are neither booed nor ridiculed. The parade of each group is usually spectacular. Each regberegbe usually puts up a display that will linger in the memory of the participants. Each of these groups is distinct from the rest, either in the manner of appearance, style of dressing or dance pattern. The story of regberegbe goes back to the 19th century. It was established as an index of the growth and progress that had become the lot of the people. It is a system of delineating the population according to age (three years for each group) for the purpose of bonding and to encourage each group to contribute its own quota to the development of the land. The groups since the 19th century have constituted a major instrument of social mobilisation. The name of each group is symbolic and has a role to play in the guiding philosophy of the group. The approval for the name of each group resides with the Awujale. The first regberegbe group in Ijebu Ode was the one named Egbe Moradegun (taking pleasure in royalty), which was for people born between 1814 and 1816. The name is a reflection of the fashion consciousness of the people. Similarly, the choice of Egbe Mafowoku (never be in lack of money) as the tag for people born between 1846 and 1848, is a pointer to the extent of prosperity that the town experienced in that period. [Drummers entertaining guests] Drummers entertaining guests So, the choice of regberegbe when Ojude- oba reached its present level of acceptance and importance is an attempt to bring everybody into the fold of the celebration, irrespective of their religious affiliation, and to re-enact the magic of bonding which the regberegbe brought in its wake when it was first introduced. Celebration of elegance Ojude-Oba is a celebration of elegance and beauty. It appears as if the whole town spends a whole year to prepare for the one day celebration. From the king to the least person in the community, there is an uncommon beauty and grace that ooze out of them. The radiance from the king on that day is unique. During each celebration of Ojude-Oba, the king has the demeanour of a rejuvenated being and has the aura that is not so common among the present age traditional rulers. Despite being advanced in age, his skin glows differently and he seems imbued with a lot of energy. The elegance and beauty flow from the king to the people. Even the man who looks ordinary ordinarily, looks special on that day. Maybe it is the mode of dressing, maybe it is the assemblage of different people in beautiful dresses, maybe it is the beautified environment or maybe it is the air of festivity. Whatever it is, this is one day that everybody in Ijebu Ode, who makes it to the Ojude-Oba, looks exceptional. There is a theory that the air of difference that descends on the town annually on the occasion of the Ojude-Oba could be a proof of celestial approval of the celebration but it has yet to be proved. Horse riders One of the frills of the event is horse riding. But this is not open to everybody. Horse riding at Ojude-Oba has nothing to do with regberegbe or age group; it is strictly an affair for specific families; the Baloguns and Eleshins. The Baloguns and Eleshins are of the lineage of war heroes. These are people whose artistry in warfare led to the victory of the Ijebu nation over their adversaries during the internecine wars that ravaged Yorubaland in the 19th century. The descendants of these warriors that saved Ijebuland from being enslaved by others are usually recognised during the Ojude- Oba celebration and are allowed to give a tip of their skills in horse riding as a simulation of what their forebears did with the beasts on the war front. The display of the horse riders before the king is usually breath-taking. Accompanied with martial music and buoyed by a cheering crowd, the riders and their horses thrill the royalty and the people with chivalric moves that will not fail to hold a candle to any professional display anywhere in the world. The parade of the horse riders has never failed to attract appreciation from the crowd which rains applause on the horses and their riders ceaselessly. Apart from the regberegbe, another group usually plays a key role in the Ojude-Oba celebration and this is famous families in Ijebuland. They also invite dignitaries from other parts of the country and the world to participate in the event. A list (by no means exhaustive) of some famous families in Ijebuland that draw participants to the event is presented hereunder. The Balogun Kuku family One of the most famous families in Ijebuland is the Balogun Kuku family. A leading member of the family who is also the Ogbeni Oja of Ijebuland, Chief Bayo Kuku is a prominent Nigerian businessman widely respected across the country. Although, there is no Balogun Kuku corner at the event, the Kukus, no doubt, add colour to the glamour of the event. Balogun family One of the most revered families in Ijebuland is the Balogun family. The importance of the family goes back to the accomplishments of their warrior ancestors. Otunba Subomi Balogun, a leader of the family is the founder of First City Merchant Bank (FCMB). After 18 years of operation as a merchant bank, the bank in January 2001 adopted universal banking and changed its name to First City Monument Bank and is one of the strong banks in the country. Otunba Subomi, the Otunba Tunwase of Akile Ijebu and Olori Omoba, is a man of immense affluence and influence. He is also a man of uncommon taste as attested to by his choice of vehicles and landed property. He is also a philanthropist of note as he has donated childrens wards to leading hospitals in the country. Yearly, a drove of guests follows the Subomi Balogun family to the celebration of Ojude-Oba festival. Adenuga family The Adenugas of Ijebu Igbo are cousins to His Royal Majesty, Oba Sikiru Adetona, the Awujale of Ijebuland. But their relevance transcends their affinity to Oba Adetona, the family, by every stretch of imagination, is an illustrious one in Ijebuland. Dr Mike Adenuga Jnr, a leading member of the family, is one of the most distinguished business owners in the country. He is the chairman of Globacom, a leading GSM service provider; and ETB, a vibrant banking institution. Globacom has been the major sponsor of the Ojude-Oba festival in the last seven years. Adenuga, who made the Forbes list of world billionaires, is a notable philanthropist. Many people are drawn to the yearly pilgrimage to Ijebu Ode because of the influence of the Adenugas. Ogunbanjo family The Ogunbajo family of Eruwon in Ijebu Ode is also a famous family. Chief Chris Ogunbajo, head of the family made his mark in the area of industry and philanthropy. Ogunbanjo, the Olootu of Ijebuland, is a founding member and former President of the Nigerian American Chamber of Commerce. He also served as a patron of the Nigerian/ British Chamber of Commerce. He founded the Chris Ogunbanjo Foundation, with the Centre for Peace and Conflict Resolution (C.P.C.R.) and the Centre for the Promotion of Industrial Society and Private Enterprise (C.I.S.P.E.) as the operating arms. The Ogunbajos attract a number of people to the Ojude-Oba festival yearly. Odutola family The Odutolas are very prominent in Ijebuland. Their progenitors, Chief Timothy Adeola Odutola and Alhaji Jimoh Odutola, were very influential not just in Ijebu but the whole of the country. But the glory of the Odutolas is not in the past as the offsprings of the two foremost industrialists are doing very well in business and other endeavours. The Odutolas also attract many visitors to the event.
Posted on: Thu, 17 Oct 2013 06:23:53 +0000
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