Ojude Oba 2024
Ojude Oba (The King’s Forecourt) is an ancient festival celebrated by the Yoruba people of Ijebu and Remo, in Ogun State, Southwestern Nigeria. This annual festival usually takes place the third day after Eid al-Kabir (Ileya), to pay homage and show respect to the king such as Royal Majesty, the Awujale of Ijebuland. As its going on Ijebu Ode so also its going on in places like Sagamu Remo, where homage are paid to the Akarigbo of Remo in his palace at Iya Oba. It is one of the most spiritual and glamorous festivals celebrated in Remo and Ijebuland and generally in Ogun State as a whole.
During the course of the festivities, different cultural age groups known as regberegbe composed of indigenes, their friends, and associates far and near parade at the front courtyard of the king’s palace on the third day of Eid al Kabir popularly referred to as “Ileya” in Yoruba language. Oba Adetona was the one that brought back the age groups in the 18th century into the general acceptable phenomenon that is found among today’s Ijebus, and this has become an integral part of the yearly Ojude Oba festival in Ijebu. The reason for the age groups was to bring development and progress to the community.[5]
Ojude Oba which means king’s fore-court in Yoruba language is usually celebrated with Pomp and pageantry by about 1,000,000 people from different parts of the world and Nigeria, especially those from Yoruba origin and most especially by people of Remo and Ijebu descent all over the world.
With the way the yearly festival is going the festival will in years near be tename as the festival of colors due to the arrays of colors used at the once in a year event.
Each age grade comes with a specific uniform color that is won in mostly aso one and damask materials. Because of the number of members wearing the dress, they become so synchronized in sea of color at the venue. It has already become a location for different photography companies to sharpen their camera lens.
Ijebu omo alare,
omo awujale,
omo arojo joye,
omo alagemo ogun woyowoyo,
omo aladiye ogogomoga,
omo adiye balokun omilili,
ara orokun,
ara o radiye,
omo ohun seni oyoyonyo,
oyoyo mayomo ohun seni olepani,
omo dudu ile komobe se njosi,
pupa tomo be se okuku sinle.
