Beyond the grandeur of the horses and the riders that grace the Ojude Oba festival each year, the significance of the Regberegbe groups cannot be overstated. These age-grade groups are the heartbeat of the festival, embodying the beauty, unity, and cultural pride of the Ijebu people. Comprising individuals within the same age bracket, the Regberegbe come together to showcase solidarity, love, and communal progress in the society to which they belong.
Speaking at the event, Chief Oluneye B. Okuboyejo, Chairman of the Ojude Oba Organizing Committee, stood as the only one present among his contemporaries—of whom only three remain alive. He noted that time and age have inevitably taken their toll, leaving only Alayeluwa (the monarch), who was unable to attend due to health concerns, and another elder, who is now too frail for such public engagements.
Providing further insight into the Regberegbe system, Chief Okuboyejo explained that the groups are classified by age, typically spaced at four-year intervals. His own group, Mafowoku, is the eldest, made up of individuals born between 1845 and 1848. Following Mafowoku are Bobajolu (1849–1852), Bobasete (1853–1856), Gbobaniyi (1857–1860), Oriyonote (1861–1864), Majobate (1865–1868), Bobasanya (1869–1872), and Erobayo (1873–1876), among others.
Chief Okuboyejo expressed his deep joy at the overwhelming turnout at the festival, though he admitted to being both amazed and slightly overwhelmed by the sheer number of attendees. In his words:
“Ojude Oba ti goke agba; gbogbo aye lo n ṣe Ojude Oba bayi. You can see the crowd—when we expect ten, it doubles to thirty. May God take control”
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