Ojude Oba Deserves a Bigger Future; And So Do Ijebu Youth

By Tolu Oke

Ojude Oba is more than a festival; it is the heartbeat of Ijebuland, a celebration that unites culture, history, fashion, family, and identity. Yet one truth is becoming increasingly clear: its future belongs to the youth who will carry it forward.

For years, Ojude Oba has drawn national and international attention, but much of its tourism potential remains untapped. Beyond the colour and ceremony lies an opportunity for young people; in culture, creativity, media, hospitality, technology, and entrepreneurship.

Voices like Prince Adetunji Abiodun Adeleke have emphasized the need to modernize how we showcase Ojude Oba. Through digital storytelling, structured youth involvement, cultural education, and tech-enabled promotion, he believes Ijebu youth can transform the festival from an annual celebration into a year-round economic engine.

His ideas include:

Expanding youth roles in planning, documentation, and innovation

Creating digital media teams to project the festival globally

Developing tourism-focused training and opportunities

Using cultural events to inspire creativity, business, and pride among young people

The question before us is simple:
Are we preparing the next generation to inherit Ojude Oba or merely asking them to watch it from the sidelines?

Culture survives when youth take ownership.
Tourism grows when young minds reimagine it.
And Ojude Oba will shine brighter when the next generation has the tools to tell its story.

The future of our festival is young and the work to empower that future begins now…