OJUDE OBA 2024: FAMILIES DISAGREE OVER BALOGUN KUKU'S 8-YEAR WINNING STREAK. (PHOTO).

 Ojude Oba 2024: Families disagree over Balogun Kuku’s 8-year winning streak

The annual Ojude Oba festivities has always attracted public attention over the years and the 2024 edition didn’t go without the usual fanfare, glitz, grandeur, and cultural resonance.

For every edition of the Ojude Oba, one family, personality, group or association outshone others and stood far apart from the rest of the attendees.

And on Tuesday, June 18, 2024, another edition of the annual festivity was held to honour the rich culture and tradition of the Ijebu people and honour Awujale, the king of Ijebu-Ode on his age milestone. The celebration also drew notable figures from near and far led by the Governor of Ogun State, Prince Dapo Abiodun.

One of the most trending personalities at the 2024 Ojude Oba was 58-year-old Farooq Oreagba, who has been dubbed the king of steeze for this year’s edition. Oreagba shone like a bright star resonating well with the local palance of ‘steez and composure’ as he effortlessly embodies style in a full Yoruba traditional regalia.

However, beyond the fanfare, traditional and cultural resonance is a brewing disagreement over the winner of the 2024 Ojude Oba family parade.

For the 2024 edition, the Balogun Kuku family emerged winner for the family’s colourfulness of attires, composure, horse displays and unmatched energy at the parade cum contest.

In the same vein, a cheque of N500,000 was presented to the family representative courtesy of popular communication outfit, Globacom Nigeria.

Interestingly, the emergence of the Balogun Kuku family as the winner of the hotly contested displays has kicked off a debate and call for criteria to which families emerge winners at the parade.

Prince Adedoyin Alatishe queried the eight-year-winning streak of the Balogun Kuku family at the Ojude Oba parade insisting on knowing what the criteria for winning is.

On Wednesday, June 19, Alatishe took to his official X handle to fault the Balogun Kuku’s victory saying, “This is not to pit me against any of my brothers in other families. On Ojude Oba day, I take a walk, go round, say hello and take pictures with my brothers and sisters from other families. I don’t compete. But then, are you really saying out of 25 families, only 1 family deserves to be 1st 8 times in the last 9 years? What are the criteria? What gets people disqualified and get points deducted? Me, I’m not a coward oh. There is nothing anyone can do to me for voicing out. No one can stop me from participating in Ojude oba because it’s my heritage.”

After firing the first salvo, a member of the Balogun Kuku family, Abdulrasheed Kuku replied to Alatishe saying, “Brother relax.  No member of my family is the judge. Tell your photographer to do a proper video of our entry and display then you’ll know why we’re winning. You don’t just stroll into the ground. We hit the ground with full force and change the atmosphere.”

Kuku went on to say, “Are you saying we should be disqualified or what? When we floated rules in 2019 were we not disqualified?”

Responding, Alatishe wrote, “Read Well bro. I’m just asking questions. Your carriage wasn’t allowed in the palace for years. What’s different this year?”

The disagreement between the members of two out of the 25 families at the parade has generated a discussion as to how the Ojude Oba family display began as well as what the criteria is.

To douse the seeming tension, Kuku wrote, “ You people want to pitch me against my bro Alatishe. It ain’t gonna happen. He’s a good ijebu ambassador and I love him and he knows it. Small Twitter argument between us won’t change the relationship. We’re good.”

The Ojude Oba festival

The Ojude Oba (The King’s Forecourt) festival is an ancient festival celebrated by the Yoruba people of Ijebu-Ode, in Ogun State. The annual festival usually takes place the third day after every Eid-el-Adha (Sallah), to pay homage and show respect to the royal majesty, the Awujale of Ijebuland. It is one of the most spiritual and glamorous festivals celebrated in Ijebuland.

During the course of the festivities, different cultural age groups known as regbe regbe composed of indigenes, their friends, and associates far and near, parade at the front courtyard of the king’s palace.

The festival, which showcases the rich cultural heritage and endowments of the people of Ijebuland, is a regular occurrence in Ijebu Ode.

One of the highlights of Ojude Oba is the horse riding and family parade competition, where young men display their equestrian skills in front of the Awujale and the crowd.

Attendees of Ojude Oba festival wear colourful traditional attires, showcasing intricate beadwork, embroidery, and accessories that represent their families and age grades.

In 2015, leading and large Ijebu families decided to kick off a keenly contested parade contest that will add colour to the age-long tradition of the Ojude Oba festival. The contest is meant to come with a reward of cash prize and 25 families began the contest including the Alatishe and Balogun Kuku.

For eight years straight, the Balogun Kuku family, which has Dr Sunny Kuku as one of the illustrious sons, won the contest while Alatishe and Odunuga families have won the contest once each.