By Temitope Salami
Ijebu-Ode – Senate President Bukola Saraki, alongside fellow senators, Dino Melaye, Ben-Murray Bruce and others arrived at the venue of the Ojude-Oba amidst wild jubilation from guests.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the recently defected senator, Saraki arrived at the Oba Sikiru Adetona Golden Jubilee Centre, Ijebu-Ode, venue of the Ojude-Oba, as the special guest of honor for the event.
His entrance erased doubts over his presence, having raised controversy in some quarters over his choice for the 2018 edition of the festival.
Upon arrival, Saraki went round the pavilion to acknowledge cheers from the crowd before eventually making his way to the reserved area to pay homage to the Awujale of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Adetona and other dignitaries.
In spite of the rain, guests were seen in their numbers to savour the occasion, which was majorly sponsored by telecommunications giant, Globacom.
The Ojude-Oba is held yearly two days after Eid-el-Kabir celebrations, as an age-old tradition of Ijebu indigenes in honour of the town’s monarch.
Different age-grade groups, known as the “Regberegbe”, attend in different colourful outfits, bearing gifts for the Awujale.
Other side attractions are the mock wars and horse display by various warlord families, as tourists from within and outside the country bask in the allure of the annual event.
