Following the looming COVID-19 third wave in the country, the Awujale and Paramount Ruler of Ijebuland, Oba (Dr) Sikiru Adetona, has announced the cancellation of the 2021 Ojude Oba festival.
The festival is usually held three days after the Eid-el Kabir celebrations.
In a statement by the coordinator of the festival and Baagbimo of Ijebu, Chief Fassy Yusuf, the monarch said there was need for total preventive measures, especially with the lethal COVID-19 Delta variant in Nigeria.
The statement titled, ‘2021 Ojude Oba Festival Cancelled’, partly read, “Rather than expose peoples who will converge in 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.
“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. The Ojude Oba Festival is normally held two days after the Eid-el Kabir (Ileya).”
The monarch while appreciating all for understanding, implored them “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.”