The 2023 Ojude Oba has come and gone. But one key aspect of the festival that took place on 30th June 2023 was the horse riding segment by the Balogun & Horse Riding families. That is when you see the Balogun/Eleshin (warlords & Horse Riders) on Equestrian Parade. That happens every year, at every Ojude Oba.
Each year, at least 21 various families of warlords and warriors who defended the Ijebu nation-cum-kingdom against external aggression and (internal) insurrection, usually put their horse riding prowess on display. They will file into the main arena for the equestrian display in an organised manner, with the Osi Balogun, Otun Balogun and the Balogun families taking the rear. Globacom, the main Sponsor of the festival usually award prizes to the Winner, First runner up and 2nd runner up in this category.
At this years festival, the following Balogun/Eleshins family members rode into the arena on horseback to pay homage to the Awujale of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Adetona. The first was Eleshin Anibi family, followed by Eleshin Erinjogunola family, Eleshin Osobe family, Eleshin Yaya Olufowobi Family, Eleshin Iboriaran (Moyegeso) family, Eleshin Josi Family, Eleshin Keregbetu fmaily and Eleshin Gamugasa family.
After then came Eleshin Odidi family, Eleshin Omo Ajibike family, Eleshin Aregbesola family and Eleshin Oreagba family. Then followed the families of the Baloguns, beginning with Balogun Otubu family, Balogun Kuku family, Balogun Odejayi family, Balogun Sarumi family, Balogun Alatishe family, Balogun Odunga family, Balogun Shoye family (Osi Balogun), Otun Balogun Shote family, (Otun Balogun) and Balogun Alausa family (the current Balogun of Ijebuland).
They all came in, one after the other, on horseback with some of their family members on foot and the horsemen, controlling the horses. All of them displayed their horse riding prowess. While on horse back they manipulate the horses to do their bidding via caning the horses and using the horse straps to control them to dance to music or jump up in various discussion.
The various eleshins came in amidst a blast of gun shots from the dane guns. As the horses galloped in, the gun men released more shots into the air in jubilation. Many of the guests enjoyed the spectacle. Some got really scared of the booming sound of the shots.
This years horse riding segment was very colourful and impactful. It is always a sight to behold. A few horse riders dazzled guests. One of them is Aare Kola Aregbe. He rode into the main arena with the Aregbesola family. He rode on his favourite horse, Niger, which he brought in from Bida, Niger State where he has a Tapa lineage. It is a very intelligent horse. The horse jumped on the platform (about 4ft high) at the Olisa’s Palace, where Kabiyeesi Olisa and Obas sat, and landed effortlessly on four legs. Aare Kola Aregbe brought about 25 horses.
His dad, Alhaji Bisi Akanni Aregbe used to ride to Ojude Oba yearly, but he retired some years ago when he clocked 80. Kola Aregbe then took over. Of course, he had been riding in front of him before then.
He has been riding horses for over 2 decades at Ojude Oba. Interestingly, he does not play Polo because of lack of time. The last time he sat on a horse before this Ojude Oba was the last Ojude Oba a year ago.
Lets tell you more about him. Aare Kola Aregbe is a Strategic Management and Project Consultant-Servicing Public and private sector clients in the UK and West Africa.
How does he prepare for Ojude Oba yearly? “I have an established template. But I do try to do something slightly different each year,” he explained. He was the first to introduce mobile DJ as part of the parade over 10 years ago. Also, people hassle him as the time approaches each year wanting to find out what to expect from him at each Ojude Oba, like wanting to know what he will be wearing.
There was also the dazzling performance of Fuji star, Kolade Onanuga who dazzled along with other horse riders.
Kolade Onanuga was one of those on the horseback who dazzled. Only very few people know that he is a superb horse rider and that he is from a horse riding family. He is a successful musician from the popular Onanuga family in Ijebu-Ode. From his mother’s side, he is from the Shote family. His mum is Shote.
His grandfather is Shote. His great grandfather is Shote. Because she is female, that is why she bears Onanuga. She is married to the Onanugas. “Ideally, I am Kolade Ibrahim Shote Onanuga, because I actually included her father’s name in my name. She is my favourite person in the world ever. And my father was next before my mum. Omo Shote ni mi.”
We are not Baloguns. Shote’s are Princes and Princesses. But few of my uncles and cousins on their mother’s side, become Balogun there.
They actually adopted the Balogun title from there, and one of them is the former Balogun of Ijebuland. He was the Otun Balogun of Ijebuland, later Balogun of Ijebuland called Alhaji Lovely, of the Sunny Ade fame with Lanrewaju Kazeem. After we lost him, another cousin of mine, Otun Balogun Alade Shote actually took the title from his mother’s lineage as the Otun Balogun of Ijebuland”.
“Ideally, the Shotes are not Balogun families. They are Princes and Princesses from the Jadiara ruling home and the Funsegbuwa ruling house. Presently, I am from the Anikulaya ruling house (the present Awujale of Ijebuland, ruling house), which is from my dad’s lineage. Ni di ile Baba and ni dile Mama, omo Oba ni mi.”
“That is the origin of the popular song: Awa koje otun, awa ko je Balogun, omooba lawa, ashote ma ru omo towobola, omo oba lawa. We actually accepted it because part of us went to bring it into the family. They went to bring the Balogun title into the Shote family from their own mother’s side”. Many don’t know he likes horses. Many don’t know that he is so much into horses that he has a rich stable of horses.
“That I love horses is an understatement”, he explained. He has 9 horses in his stable in Ijebu-Ode. He lost his 2 favourite horses 2 months ago. They are called Captain and Glo. He had one of them for 9 years and it died.
He cried when it died. The 2 that died got paralysed. They lost their legs. He loves horse riding. He loves Polo. Both go hand-in-hand. He used to play Polo.
“My life is forever for Horses,” he told City People. So in love is he with horses that he spends time with them. “I stay in my stable more than any other place in the house”.
It must be a very expensive lifestyle to keep 9 horses, feed them, taking care of them. “Of course yes. But me, I don’t even think about the cost at all.” “I will starve for them to eat. That is how in love I am with my horses”.
Another horse rider is Adedoyin Alatishe. Officially, he has been going to Ojude Oba, as a rider since 2023. He co-ordinated every single thing his team wore, as part of the Balogun Alatishe family. He co-ordinated the attire, horses to drummers, gun shooters, everything. “I am grateful for my family for entrusting me as a 30 year old with such responsibility. When you have a plan, people will follow you. By the grace of God, Leadership is inbuilt I knew I had it in me from day 1”.
He currently has 5 horses in his stable. How did he learn how to ride, we asked him “I’ve been riding horses since I was 2 years old. My mum told me that anytime I wasn’t feeling well and I saw horses, I will get better immediately. I didn’t inherit horse riding from my dad or anyone in my family. However, I see a connection with my late grandfather, the late Balogun of Ijebuland through horses.”
“Also, my parents weren’t in support of me having my own horses and all, but they later gave in when they saw that they couldn’t stop me. I made them becoome big fans. At one point, when they see me ride. They have been telling people “That’s my son.”
He is a graduate of Kwame Nkrumah University of Science & Technology, Kumasi, Ghana. He has a B.A Economics. According to him, when I officially started rearing horses in 2015, when I was in the University, I was the only youth with a horse of my own. The care, everything was entirely on me. Overtime, I’ve been able to encourage a lot of youths to participate. My push even got a lot of families to start riding again. If you go across every horseriding family in Ijebuland, you will see the impact of a lot of youths. We even organise riding sessions for friends. We all converge at Ijebu-Ode stadium on some weekends. People come from Lagos and everywhere to participate.”
