The organising committee of the 2026 Ojude Oba Festival has confirmed that the annual cultural celebration will go ahead as planned, despite the death of the late Awujale of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Adetona. Speaking at a press briefing in Ijebu Ode on Tuesday, the committee said the monarch had expressly directed that the festival must never be suspended during any period of royal transition.
Coordinator of the festival, Prof. Fassy Yusuf, said the late Awujale made it clear before his death that Ojude Oba should continue uninterrupted, regardless of an interregnum. This year’s edition, themed “Ojude Oba 2026: Celebrating the Legacy of Oba Sikiru Adetona,” will serve as both a celebration of Ijebu culture and a tribute to the monarch’s 65-year reign.
Yusuf dismissed the slogan “No Awujale, No Ojude Oba” circulating online, stressing that the festival is a cultural institution that transcends individuals. He warned that suspending it would damage cultural preservation, tourism, and the economic and international profile of Ijebuland. The grand finale is set for Friday, May 29, 2026, two days after Eid-el-Kabir, with First Lady Oluremi Tinubu and Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun expected as special guests.
