He did it again. For the second consecutive year, Farooq Oreagba, investment banker, cancer survivor, and Nigeria’s self-styled cultural ambassador arrived at the Ojude Oba Festival and stole the show without breaking a sweat.
Oreagba first captured national attention at the 2024 Ojude Oba Festival, where he rode in on a beautifully decorated horse wearing a bold green and lemon agbada, accessorised with coral beads, a gold crossbody chain, designer sunglasses, and an Apple Watch, a cigar resting between his lips and tattoos peeking from his sleeves. The moment, which spread rapidly across social media, earned him the unofficial title of “King of Steeze” and made him the festival’s breakout star.
This year, anticipation was high and Oreagba did not disappoint.
He made a grand appearance at the 2025 festival not in one look, but two. He arrived first in a rich agbada of shades of brown and beige, embroidered with sharp geometric patterns in brown, gold, and blue, paired with a brown cap and a walking stick, completing a look that turned heads, especially as he rode into the arena on horseback. He later returned in a second outfit: a bold green and yellow agbada with elaborate, swirling embroidery across the collar and sleeves.
He accessorised with a silver Cuban link chain, rings, and a majestic gold staff crowned with a lion’s head, further cementing his title as “The King of Steeze”.
His viral appearance at the 2024 edition had heightened anticipation for 2025, drawing celebrities and public figures even those with no Ijebu roots who now see the festival as an avenue to make bold fashion statements and project their cultural heritage.
Beyond the spectacle, the impact of Oreagba’s presence has proven to have real economic weight. Oreagba described the 2025 Ojude Oba festival as the “biggest ever,” with over ₦2 billion generated in sponsorship and an estimated $10 million injected into the local economy, according to CNN. Brands such as Goldberg and Polo Avenue partnered with festival participants, further amplifying the event’s reach.
“Last year, I got my Airtel endorsement after Ojude Oba, it set up a wave of things,” Oreagba noted, adding: “This year, I can tell you virtually every family got endorsed.”
The National Council for Arts and Culture recognised his cultural contributions by naming him an Honorary Cultural Ambassador, with NCAC Director-General Obi Asika describing him as “a true Nigerian original.”
Oreagba’s story is as compelling as his style. In April 2014, he was diagnosed with osteosarcoma and carcinoma; bone marrow and skin cancer, respectively. He achieved complete remission on February 3, 2015, and was officially declared cancer-free in 2017. His return to the financial sector came in September 2023, when he was appointed Managing Director and CEO of NG Clearing Limited, nearly six years after stepping away due to his illness.
At NG Clearing Limited, he has championed initiatives including the first index futures trade in Nigeria, helping to revolutionise derivative trading in the country.
The Ojude Oba Festival, a time-honoured celebration dating back to the 19th century, is a revered occasion where the Ijebu people gather to pay homage to their monarch, the Awujale of Ijebuland rooted in a historic gesture of religious tolerance, as the Muslim community began the tradition to express gratitude to the Awujale for allowing them the freedom to practice their faith.
In 2024, one man in an agbada on a horse helped make it a national conversation. In 2025, that same man came back with two outfits, a golden staff, and the same unshakeable aura and reminded Nigeria exactly why they had been waiting.
