This was courtesy Globacom, which, apart from sponsoring the main festival, annually organises what it calls a music fiesta.
The show held at Equity Hotel, Ijebu
Ode, with the telecom company saying that it organised it to give its
subscribers and other residents a memorable experience. According to the
company, the music fiesta helps participants at the festival to cool
down with good music after the carnival-like parade that has been
globally recognised.
It noted that it settled for Idibia and
Osupa based on their standing among leading artistes. While Tuface was
invited because of the national outlook of his music, Osupa was played
as a joker to capture his many fans who are strong followers of
traditional music and the swag the artiste is popular with.
And both singers gave a good account of
themselves. Apart from dishing out from some of their rich repertories,
they did not deny the audience theatrics that kept them demanding more
and more.
Another feature of the music fiesta was
a beauty pageant during which a bevy of young ladies of Ijebu origin
tried to outshine one another to win the coveted Miss Ojude Oba Crown.
Miss Afolabi Mariam eventually won the
crown while Miss Obadiya Oluwasanumi and Miss Akiniyi Oluwabukola were
first and second runners-up.
Speaking at the event, said the theme of the festival – Ojude Oba: A Rich Heritage for Ijebu Unity – resonated with the company’s ideals.
According to him traditions, cultures
and religious beliefs are the ingredients which have united peoples and
races throughout the history of mankind.
Saying the Ijebu race was not excluded
in this truism, he noted, “This festival, therefore, as well as other
values and traditions which we hold dear, are the pillars erected by
our forefathers as the superstructure on which they hoped our unity as
Ijebu people, nay Nigerians, continues to rest. It is also a veritable
platform for all sons and daughters of Ijebuland to congregate and
brainstorm on developmental matters that will accelerate the political,
social, historical and economic growth of the people,” Aderibigbe said.
He expressed delight that the feast had
continued to get better and more glamorous making “Globacom to
acknowledge that Ojude Oba has the potential to become a major revenue
earner for the state based on the fact that large pools of tourists
converge from different parts of Nigeria and the global community to
celebrate the festival.”
According to him, the company is
sustaining its partnership with the Ojude Oba Festival Committee because
it has deep roots in its passionate commitment to constantly be at the
forefront of major initiatives geared towards accentuating the best of
Nigeria’s cultures, values, desires and traditions of Nigerians.
Celebrated two days after the Eid El
Kabir, Ojude Oba has, for long afforded the Ijebu to give honour and
show love to the Awujale, as Oba Sikiru Adetona has savoured for years.
But it has become a feast for all as it is now celebrated by all people
of Ijebu descent irrespective of religious inclinations.
Some indigenes who spoke during the festival welcomed the changes it is experiencing, including the prizes awarded to best regberegbe groups and the beauty pageant introduced by Glo.
“The festival has united all Ijebu
people and even the Remos who all consider the event ‘as a common
heritage.’ Ijebus from other towns apart from Ijebu Ode are members of
the regberegbe groups which is one of the major markers of the festival,” said one Aderonke Sabitu.
Globacom rewarded the age grades as well
as the horse riders with cash prizes for their fashion sense, unity of
purpose as well as contributions to the development of Ijebuland. Egbe
Jagunmolu Okunrin and Gbobaniyi Obinrin came first; Bobagbimo and
Bobagunte Obinrin came second while Bobamayegun and Arobayo came third
in the male and female categories respectively.
In the Balogun competition, the Kuku, Shoye and Alatise came first, second and third respectively.
No comments:
Post a Comment