First City Monument Bank (FCMB) deepened its investment in promoting arts and culture through its comprehensive sponsorship of the 2026 Ojude Oba Festival.
The globally acclaimed festival is held annually in Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State, to celebrate the Awujale of Ijebuland while exhibiting the best of Yoruba cultural heritage, encompassing fashion, music, dance, and what is now known as steeze.
In the spirit of continuity and eternal gratitude to the last Awujale, Oba Sikiru Adetona, who joined his ancestors on 13 July 2025, the fiesta was themed “Celebrating the Legacy of Oba Sikiru Adetona”.
Painting the ancient city in suave colours and vibes, it attracted Ijebu sons and daughters as well as tourists and culture enthusiasts from all parts of the world.
The state governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, alongside many other dignitaries and the Regent, Olorogun Sonny Kuku, received the huge crowd that witnessed the performances of the Regberegbe age-grade groups, who were the main actors in the spectacular show.
As the star sponsor of the festival, FCMB not only supported the organisers with funds, but it also imbued the event with ample corporate presence, while elaborately and compellingly branding the festival arena.
With the comprehensive support it gave to the festival, the bank helped ensure the bond that the Ijebu people have with their darling Oba Adetona remains intact.
Also, by continuing to sponsor the festival, the bank appears to have ensured that Ijebu people, as well as all and sundry, never negatively missed the late business patriarch and legend, Otunba Subomi Balogun, its founder, who was one of the architects of the development of the modern Ijebu, based on his strong love for the land and his profound contribution to its development.
Millions of Ijebu people and Nigerians in general will never forget that Otunba Subomi Balogun was a source of joy, rebirth, succour, employment, and fulfilment to many folks.
Interestingly, the legend so much loved culture that, in spite of his titanic status, he used to actively participate at the Ojude Oba festival as a horse-riding icon of the Balogun descent.
The continued growth of FCMB on the one hand, and the glorious expansion the Ojude Oba keeps experiencing, have thus remained a beautiful tribute to the memory of the business guru who was the Olori Omo Oba of Ijebuland.
The institutional energy that FCMB helped inject into the 2026 Ojude Oba Festival train ensured its success in terms of the multitude of people it attracted, the high class on display, and the sanity and security at play.
The Regberegbes (performing age-grade groups) dazzled the firmament as they paraded in gorgeous dresses, dancing joyfully and teasing the sky with flowery smiles. At the end of the day, Egbe Bobakeye emerged the overall winner in the male category, while Egbe Arobayo Obinrin Precious achieved the same in the female category. The Balogun Kuku Family won in the horse-riding category.
As usual, the festival attracted many celebrities, including Nollywood stars Eniola Badmus, Adeniyi Johnson, Mercy Aigbe, Femi Branch, Idowu Phillips aka Mama Rainbow, and Dayo Amusa. While daughter-of-the-soil waka Queen Salawa Abeni and content creator Samuel Banks were also part of the carnival, the king of steeze himself, Farooq Oreagba, stormed the pavilion with his trademark charismatic horseback entrance. The socialite, who is FCMB’s cultural ambassador, never disappointed in his commanding regalia and acclaimed candour.
The bank’s presence at the event was so robust and strategic that its tender, purple, and illuminating yellow corporate insignia was visible in every cardinal direction of the festival grounds and the city itself. From FCMB’s elegantly built pavilion-within-pavilion stand in the arena, to the colourfully draped team it deployed, to the gifts the bank presented to the royalty when it was its turn to parade, then to the bountiful financial support it gave for the programme, the bank is indeed a blessing to the cultural growth of not only Ijebu-Ode but Nigeria at large.
In his goodwill message at the festival, Group Chief Executive, FCMB Group Plc, Mr. Ladi Balogun, underscored the above dynamics. According to him, it was with pride and reflection that he joined the Regent, the Ijebu traditional institution, the Ojude Oba Festival Committee, and all the people of Ijebuland to celebrate the 2026 edition, describing the festival as “a true symbol of our culture.”
Balogun said: ‘This year’s festival holds special significance as we honour the legacy of His Royal Majesty, Oba (Dr.) Sikiru Kayode Adetona, CFR, the Awujale and Paramount Ruler of Ijebuland, whose passing in 2025 marked the end of one of the most consequential royal reigns in Nigeria’s history.
“For over six decades, Kabiyesi embodied disciplined leadership, dignity, and progress. He strengthened the traditional institution, elevated Ijebuland’s profile on the national stage, and transformed Ojude Oba into a cultural platform that promotes heritage, creativity, and economic growth.
“Beyond culture, Oba Adetona strongly believed in advancing his people. He championed education, development, unity, and responsible leadership. He understood that preserving tradition must go hand in hand with preparing future generations for opportunity and progress. That vision continues to shape Ijebuland today’.
He also acknowledged and commended the steady leadership of the Regent, noting his calm stewardship and dedication to continuity which, he said, reflected the enduring strength and stability of the Ijebu traditional institution.
On the bank’s support for Ojude Oba, the GMD stated: ‘For over 20 years, FCMB has remained a committed partner of the Ojude Oba Festival. Our support amplifies a longstanding belief in the importance of preserving heritage, strengthening communities, and creating opportunities for inclusive and sustainable growth.
‘Today, Ojude Oba stands as a cultural celebration and a driver of enterprise and economic activity. Its growing impact supports livelihoods, strengthens communities, and reinforces the values that will shape the future of Ijebuland’.
