Why Ijebu monarch was absent from 2025 Ojude Oba — Festival coordinator

Dr. Fassy Yusuff, coordinator for the 2025 Ojude Oba festival, has said that the Awujale and paramount ruler of Ijebu land, Oba Sikiru Adetona, could not attend the annual festival held on Sunday at Ijebu Ode, Ogun State, because he was recuperating at home after being discharged from a Lagos hospital last Thursday.

Yusuff made this known while speaking on the reason the paramount ruler was conspicuously absent from this year’s festival.

Thousands of guests and tourists who thronged the Awujale pavilion for the yearly glamorous festival were bewildered to notice the conspicuous absence of the highly revered 91-year-old traditional ruler, who is the symbol of the global festival.

For decades, the monarch usually sits in his majesty to receive homage from the thousands of guests, tourists, and people from the Ijebu land during the annual festival. He was, however, absent from the festival, which was held on Sunday.

He was represented by his wife, Olori Kemi Adetona.

The coordinator, while clearing the air over whatever rumour the absence of the foremost traditional ruler might have generated, said that there was no need to worry, as the royal father was only recuperating after being discharged from the hospital last Thursday.

He said there was nothing to worry about.