Ojude Oba: A Stylish Celebration of Faith and Culture
Ojude Oba Festival 2025 photographed by Niyi Fagbemi
Did you know that one of the largest parades in Africa takes place every year in the town of Ijebu Ode, Osun State, Nigeria?
The Ojude Oba, which means “The King’s Forecourt,” is one of the biggest parades in Africa. It is a display of the rich culture of the people of Ijebu Ode in Nigeria. The parade usually takes place three days after Eid al-Kabir, also known as “Ileya.” The festival has been traced back to the last century, when it began as a way for the first Muslim converts in Ijebu land to pay tribute to the king and reaffirm their loyalty to both him and their communities.
Ojude Oba is credited with being one of the largest parades in Africa because it usually hosts about 1,000,000 people from all over the world, especially those who are from Ijebu Ode, who return home specifically for this event. The participants of the parades are known as the Regberegbe, who are from different age groups. They come around to sing the praises of the Ajuwale.
One of the most remarkable things to see at this festival is the array of outfits and horseback riding by the descendants of the Baloguns and Eleshins. The burst of colorful, regal outfits by the horse riders and their families is invariably, unfailingly, and consistently giving us a run for our money.
Each family selects a fabric, typically Aso Oke, featuring stripes and vibrant color pigments. Each individual tries to reflect the family style but at the same time showcase their individuality with the outfit of their choice.
Most of the women who attend the event are typically adorned in the traditional iro and buba, paired with a gele. These women take the phrase "go big or go home" quite literally, as their geles are as tall as their steeze, and their designer sunglasses are thick enough to block out the haters. Let’s not forget the hand fans that add an extra layer of poshness to their look. They adorn themselves so regally in gold, silver, diamond, and coral jewels, their glow almost as bright as the women who wear them.
While the men are mostly in Agbada and Fila styles, the men’s agbada are usually expertly engraved with their family emblems; they pair their looks with stacks of beads and very beautifully carved staffs. Some of the men even get custom-made shoes to match the elegant look of their agbada.
The goal of their outfits is to showcase the beauty of the Yoruba culture and the affluence of their respective families. The families usually don’t repeat their Ojude Oba outfits because it diminishes their affluent status.
The fashion at Ojude Oba is not meant for show; it is ancestral style at its finest.
Honorable Mentions: Looks That Stopped Us In Our Tracks
One woman who stole the show was Princess Adeshile, who called her look “a modern twist on royalty,” which it indeed was. Her outfit was so fashionably complex and culturally rich that she had her name on every best-dressed list. She transcended gender norms by giving her own take on the Agbada style. Princess Adeshile gave us different looks for this year’s Ojude Oba, starting with her looks from the Ojude Oba documentary to her yellow, white, and blue look from the actual festival day.
Princess Adeshile photographed by Odo Emmanuel
Nollywood legends Aedimeji Lateef and Chief Femi Branch brought Yoruba culture to life with the animated styling resembling that of a Nollywood epic.
Adedimeji Lateef and Chief Femi Branch photographed by Gen2 Snap
Olusola Morenike, the Gen Z Aura princess, and the women of the Osifeso clan, who stunned in Alkimba, designed by Asa Atelier
Olusola Morenike Photographed by Niyi Fagbemi
Fashionista Ebunoluwa Dosumu, who in all her Gele glory was radiant in another twist on Agbada—the iconic ShakaraTyrbe styled her.
Ebunoluwa Dosumu photographed by Quistar studios
There were so many amazing looks from Ojude Oba 2025. If there’s one thing about the people of Ijebu Ode and the distinguished visitors to the area, it’s that they know how to make a fashion statement every time.