The Ojude Oba Festival in Ijebu Ode of Ogun State which has become a colossus of sort and a unifier will for the first time in its over 200 years experience additional excitement as Goldberg brand from the stables of Nigerian Breweries enters into the 2014 programme with creation of Goldberg Village for guests and the indigenes.
While the grand finale of this year’s edition of the Festival will likely hold October 6, 2014, the Goldberg Village which will create excitement and fun around the Ojude Oba, a festival that is unique and spectacular to the Ijebu people, will kick-off tomorrow to October 10.
The entertainment village to be sited near the Oba palace will provide entertainment and sell beverages which will create great thrill around the festival celebrated once a year which brings guests from around the country, many sons and daughters of Ijebu Ode back home.
The village is to make sure the indigenes and the guests have a memorable festival, Mfon Bassey, Goldberg brand manager who represented Kufre Ekanem, Corporate Affairs Adviser of NBL said at the occasion’s pre-event in Ijebu Ode to sensitise stakeholders on the festival.
“The Ojude Oba Festival, an ancient festival celebrated by the Ijebu people is here again and this year Goldberg is joining the illustrious people of Ijebu to pay homage and celebrate their king, the Awujale and Paramount ruler of Ijebuland, Sikiru Kayode Adetona on the occasion of the 2014 Ojude Oba Festival”, he said. The monarch has been on the thrown since January 1960.
The partnership of Goldberg with the festival demonstrates what the brand stands for and keeps to its promises of continued support and celebration of traditional values of its people. At the village, set up for the occasion, guests will buy the beverage at recommended price of N150 and also have the chance to win prizes such as motorcycles among others.
The festival is perhaps the most celebrated event in the South-West of Nigeria. Though it has its origin in Islam, it is now being celebrated by all and sundry including Christians, Muslims, traditionalists and non-believers.
The chairman of the 2014 organising committee, Fassy Yusuf recalled that “in the 19th century when Islam made inroad into Ijebuland, the reigning monarch then prevailed on his subjects to give those professing the new religion the latitude to operate according to their dictates of their conscience.”There was no war, there was no rancor. After observing their Eid-El Kabir, the Muslim leaders decided to pay homage to the monarch to thank him for his magnanimity and accommodation. As time went by, this tradition metamorphosed into what is now known as Ojude Oba Festival and has been embraced by Ijebus at home and in Diaspora and also by other people””
Yusuf who said the festival is not only about equestrian display, parade of cultures and tradition, merry making and fun fare, it provides the Ijebu nation the opportunity to take stock, embark of self help projects and reunite and supplicate to the Almighty God.
Yusuf hoped that the partnership with Goldberg will be enduring.
This year’s festival theme is ‘Our people, our heritage’ with Theophilus Danjuma as special guest. He assured that arrangements have been made to ensure security at the event.
Daniel Obi
