Ojude Oba (The King's Forecourt) is an ancient festival celebrated by the Yoruba people of Ijebu-Ode, a major town in Ogun State, Southwestern Nigeria. This annual festival usually takes place the third day after Eid al-Kabir (Ileya), 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 and generally in Ogun State as a whole.[1][2][3][4]
During the course of the festivities, different cultural age groups known as regberegbe composed of indigenes, their friends, and associates far and near parade at the front courtyard of the king's palace on the third day of Eid al Kabir popularly referred to as "Ileya" in Yoruba language.[5][6] Oba Adetona was the one that brought back the age groups in the 18th century[4] into the general acceptable phenomenon that is found among today's Ijebus, and this has become an integral part of the yearly Ojude Oba festival in Ijebu. The reason for the age groups was to bring development and progress to the community.[5]
Ojude Oba which means king's fore-court in Yoruba language is usually celebrated with Pomp and pageantry by about 1,000,000 people from different parts of the world and Nigeria, especially those from Yoruba origin and most especially by people of Ijebu descent all over the world.[3][7]