HEAD of all princes in Ijebuland, Otunba Subomi Balogun, has gone down memory lane, highlighting how the Ojude Oba festival began in Ijebu Ode.
Otunba Balogun spoke with newsmen during this year’s Ojude Oba festival, which was held again on Monday, July 12, after a two-year break brought about as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Delving into the history of the festival, Otunba Balogun said: “The Ojude Oba started during the reign of my ancestor, Oba Adesumbo Tunwase, who was the Oba during the reign of the British colonialists.
“Oba Tunwase allowed the Christians to come and preach in Ijebuland, and even before then, he had allowed the Muslims to also come into the town.
“So in appreciation of the king’s benevolence, the Muslims started going to greet the king after the Ileya [Sallah] festival, and the Christians also joined immediately.
“In actual fact, when Oba Tunwase, my own ancestor, my mother’s great grandfather, was on the throne, the British missionaries came to Ijebu and asked for his permission to preach the gospel, and he gave them the go-ahead; they also asked to baptise the people, and he allowed them, but before then, the Muslim religion had come into Ijebu Ode, maybe through the North.
“The Muslim religion came first, and not long, Christianity followed. Before then, Ijebu people were mainly traditional religion worshippers.
“Therefore, Ojude Oba started when Muslims and Christians began going to Oba Tunwase’s forecourt to appreciate him for his kindness, and so Muslims and Christians are one in Ijebu Ode.”
Speaking further, the Asiwaju of Ijebu Christians said: “You also find that although the Balogun ancestors were originally Muslims, the family also has Christians. In fact, there is no Ijebu person who doesn’t have an inter-mixture of the two religions.
“For every Ijebu person, a part of the family will either be either Muslim or Christian, so in Ijebu, we all embrace one another and we are one.
“Therefore, the whole idea of Ojude Oba is for the people to come together and pay homage to their royal father and also express their appreciation to him.”
Otunba Balogun, who is the founder and chairman of the First City Monument Bank (FCMB), also highlighted his bank’s relationship with the festival, which dates several decades.
He said: “I have always been part of Ojude Oba through my background and it is just normal for FCMB to also be part of the event. God gave me FCMB and it is natural that anything I show interest in, then FCMB must also be interested in.
“FCMB today is an international institution and the only way we can show appreciation to the founders and progenitors of Ijebu Ode is to support Ojude Oba.
“Also, I am a cultural person, having being born into royalty; Ojude Oba has been part of me since childhood, so there should be no question about why FCMB is involved in Ojude Oba; it is always a pride for any Ijebu person to participate in the event.
“I am part of royalty as the Olori Omo Oba of Ijebu [head of all princes], and I am also part of the Balogun, so it is something I am very proud of, so is every Ijebu son and daughter, and the only way we can show appreciation to the founders of Ijebuland, our progenitors, is to support Ojude Oba.
“For this year’s Ojude Oba, the vibrant mood of the people could be seen, particularly after the two-year break as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Ojude Oba is internationally-recognised, so it was not just Ijebu sons and daughters who missed it, but everyone the world over.
“Everyone is always proud of Ojude Oba and we all looked forward to it, as we all come together to pay homage to our royal father.”
At the Ojude Oba pavilion, the excitement on the faces of the various age groups, indigenes, friends of Ijebu Ode, all attendees showed they had all missed paying homage to the Awujale of Ijebuland, Oba (Dr) Sikiru Kayode Adetona, for the past two years, and the fact that the rain during this year’s event did not dampen the spirit of the festival showed how much people were eager to attend again.
At this year’s event were the Ogun State governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun; his Lagos State counterpart, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu; former Ogun State governors, Chief Segun Osoba and Chief Gbenga Daniel, among important dignitaries.
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