Regberegbe age grade groups in coordinated Aso Oke at the 2026 Ojude Oba festival in Ijebu Ode, held three days after Eid al-Adha. Photo: Elejo Shot It. ‎ ‎ By Egungwu Chukwuka Benjamin ‎E very year, on the third day after Eid al-Adha, Ijebu Ode changes. The historic town known for its calm pace becomes loud with talking drums, bright Aso Oke, and the thunder of horses. This is Ojude Oba, literally translated as “the King’s Forecourt,” a festival that grew from a single family's act of gratitude into one of Africa's most dazzling cultural spectacles. ‎Historical records trace the roots of Ojude Oba to the late 19th century, during the reign of Awujale Ademuyewo Afidipote. When Islam began to flourish in Ijebuland, the monarch showed great wisdom by granting Muslim converts the freedom to practice their faith openly without persecution. ‎Among these early converts was Chief Balogun Kuku, a legendary warrior and prominent leader. Because of his new faith, Kuku could no longer tak...