The  Awujale and Paramount Ruler of Ijebuland, Oba (Dr.) Sikiru Kayode Adetona, has approved the cancellation of the 2021 edition of the Annual Ojude Oba Festival of Ijebu Ode.

In a Press statement issued by the Coordinator of the Festival and Baagbimo of Ijebu, Chief (Dr.) Fassy Yusuf, the cancellation was attributed to the prevalence of the COVID-19 pandemic, its likely upsurge with the Delta variant and the negligible number of people that had taken the anti-COVID 19 vaccine.

Rather than expose peoples who will converge on Ijebu Ode from all over the world to participate in the ancient and unique socio-cultural and religious festival of the Ijebu nation, with its parade of traditional age groups and the spectacular durbar with unsurpassable equestrian display, to avoidable and preventable health hazards, the monarch directed that the 2021 edition be cancelled.

The Ojude Oba Festival is normally held two days after the Eid-el Kabir festival(Ileya).

According to the statement, this is the second time in its known history of more than one Century that the festival that unites Muslims, Christians, and adherents of other faiths will be cancelled.

In his message to the Ijebu nation on the occasion of the 2021 Eid-el Kabir (10th of Dhul-Hijja 1442 AH), the monarch thanked his subjects for the peace, progress, and tranquillity pervading Ijebuland. He prayed for additional economic and social prosperity within Ijebuland and charged his people to remain resolute and be optimistic that sooner than later, Ijebu State would become a reality.

He further charged his people and visitors to Ijebuland during and after the festival to ensure they wear their nose masks, wash their hands regularly with soap, keep social and physical distances at public places, get vaccinated against the pandemic, and adhere to other medical protocols as directed by the federal, state, and local government authorities.