An elderly Nigerian man has sparked widespread reactions online after sharing what he described as the true origin of the famous Ojude Oba festival in a viral video.
The video, which has attracted significant attention on social media, features the man giving a detailed account of how the cultural celebration evolved in Ijebu land and the role played by the influential Balogun Kuku.
Origins of the Festival
According to the elderly man, Ojude Oba traces its roots to an older traditional gathering known as Ode Nla, which existed long before the arrival of Islam and Christianity in Ijebu land.
He explained that during that era, worshippers of various traditional deities—including Ogun, Sango, Oya, and others—would gather to pay homage to the Awujale, the traditional ruler of the Ijebu people.
“It was Balogun Kuku who started Ojude Oba. The festival existed before Islam and Christianity and was originally called Ode Nla. In those days, our forefathers would bring out symbols of their various deities and gather to honour the Awujale,” he said.
Balogun Kuku’s Influence
The man further claimed that Balogun Kuku played a pivotal role in transforming the gathering into what is now known as Ojude Oba.
According to his narration, Balogun Kuku was originally a Christian before converting to Islam during a period of religious change in Ijebu land.
“But when Islam came into Ijebu land, Balogun Kuku became a Muslim. Before then, he had been a Christian,” he explained.
Why He Embraced Islam
The elderly narrator said Balogun Kuku’s decision to embrace Islam was influenced by the religion’s stance on polygamy.
He recounted that Christian leaders at the time reportedly informed Balogun Kuku that he could only keep one wife, despite already having more than 30 wives.
“The Christians told him he could only have one wife, but he already had over 30 wives. He asked what would happen to the others, and they told him he would have to choose just one. Balogun Kuku said he could not abandon his wives,” he stated.
According to the account, one of Balogun Kuku’s slaves then informed him about Islam, explaining that the religion permitted a man to have multiple wives.
“The slave told him there was a religion that allowed more than one wife. Balogun asked which religion it was, and the slave replied that it was Islam. He then instructed the slave to bring Muslim clerics to him.
“When they arrived, Balogun’s first question was how many wives he could have. They asked him how many wives he already had, and he said more than 30. They told him he could continue with his wives, and even marry more if he wished. Balogun then declared that it was a good religion for him, and that was how he became a Muslim.”
The man added that Balogun Kuku wore a turban for the first time after his conversion, inspiring hundreds of others to do the same.
“More than 500 people, including my great-grandfather, wore turbans on that day,” he said.
Birth of Ojude Oba
The narrator went on to explain that after embracing Islam, Balogun Kuku and other Muslim converts approached the Awujale to request land where they could hold Eid prayers.
According to him, the monarch granted their request, and a tradition soon emerged.
He said that after celebrating Eid al-Kabir, the Muslim community decided to visit the king to express gratitude for providing them with a place to practice their faith.
“They asked where they should meet the king, and they were directed to the king’s forecourt. That visit became the beginning of Ojude Oba as we know it today,” he explained.
“Aside from the original Ode Nla celebration that already existed, it was Balogun Kuku who started what later became Ojude Oba. The people are simply continuing the tradition and legacy he left behind.”
The video has since generated debate online, with many viewers expressing interest in the history of one of Nigeria’s most celebrated cultural festivals.
“Ojude Oba existed before islam and christianity, it was called OdeNla then. Balogun Kuku was a christian before he converted to Islam because the christians told him he can only have one wife and he had 36.
he dropped christianity for islam because he said he can’t leave his… pic.twitter.com/5AHtsGEnFv
— last born (@olasebotifeg) May 31, 2026
