In an age where trends come and go at the speed of a retweet, Adedoyin Alatishe has made a tradition go viral — and stay relevant. You might know him as “Mr. Ojude Oba” or @kingbelaire on social media, but to those who’ve been paying attention for years, he’s much more: a digital custodian of culture, a connector of brands, and a proud ambassador of one of Nigeria’s richest cultural showcases.
To understand Doyin’s mission, you must first understand where he comes from.
The Balogun Alatishe lineage is not a mere surname; it is an inheritance of purpose. For generations, the Alatishe clan has stood among Ijebu’s military aristocracy the Generalissimos whose horsemanship and bravery shaped the community’s history. In the language of the people, “Balogun” is not a title handed out lightly: it signifies leadership in times of both conflict and celebration.
When the annual Ojude Oba Festival unfolds, a cultural phenomenon that has evolved over 100 years into Nigeria’s most spectacular display of identity, the Balogun families are always at the forefront. They ride in honor of the Awujale, the revered king of Ijebuland, in a pageant that is equal parts homage, artistry, and communal pride.
But for Doyin, Ojude Oba is more than ceremonial tradition. As he puts it:
“Ojude Oba is a moment where history walks beside me.”
Before Ojude Oba became the social media phenomenon it is today, Adedoyin was already deep in the trenches, posting year after year about the festival’s beauty, heritage, and meaning. While Twitter (now X) was a battlefield of bants and tribal digs, he stood firm — a lone cultural evangelist, preaching the elegance of tradition with hashtags and horse-riding photos.
He didn’t wait for virality to validate his passion. Long before the 2024 moment when Ojude Oba exploded online, Adedoyin was tagging celebrities like Davido, Wizkid, and other cultural influencers, calling them to not just attend — but connect with their roots.
But it was in 2025 that Mr. Ojude Oba took things to a whole new level.
He turned his tweets into partnerships, and his posts into powerful storytelling. Weeks before the festival, he was already posting photos of himself practicing on horseback — an iconic symbol of the regality the festival celebrates. It wasn’t just content, it was curation — a blend of culture, fashion, and community-building.
When Ojude Oba 2025 arrived, Adedoyin came through in full regalia and full vision. Not only did he show up, but he brought brands with him — and not just any brands.
From Lunette Eyewear, who partnered with one of the traditional families, to lifestyle giants like Polo Avenue, Nala Money, and Goldberg, his effort in brokering visibility and collaboration was evident. He facilitated partnerships that blended modern consumer culture with ancestral heritage — and did so with style, grace, and authenticity.
Adedoyin’s commitment is not about self-glorification — it’s about preservation. And in an era where many run from tradition, he’s running toward it, on horseback, in agbada, and with tweets that now command attention across the continent.
To celebrate his consistency, cultural pride, and growing impact, we sat down with Adedoyin Alatishe for an exclusive interview — where he opened up about the movement, the brands, the families, and the real story behind the man known as Mr. Ojude Oba.
Read the interview below and discover what drives him to keep the culture alive.
- From the Balogun Alatishe lineage to becoming a cultural influencer known as Kingbelaire, how do you navigate the intersection of ancestral heritage and contemporary self-expression in your personal brand?
Wow I like this question. Navigating that intersection you speak of is a very intentional process for me. Being part of the Balogun Alatishe lineage comes with some cultural responsibility. Ojude Oba is more than a festival to me, it’s a moment where history walks beside me. As for Kingbelaire the brand, I believe my personal brand stands at the crossroads of tradition and innovation. I see myself as a cultural bridge, because my heritage grounds me, but my self-expression gives my heritage new life. For me It’s about carrying my grandfather Balogun Alatishe legacy forward, while allowing it to evolve and speak in today’s language, to inspire a new generation. That’s the essence of my brand, I guess you can call it legacy redefined.
2. The Ojude Oba festival has become a vibrant tapestry where culture, identity, and community pride converge. What core values do you believe the festival instills in the next generation of Ijebu sons and daughters?
Ojude Oba fosters pride in our heritage, through fashion, music, dance, and family displays, young people see culture not as something old or distant, but as something beautiful, and worth celebrating. It instills a sense of identity, togetherness, continuity, and responsibility. It teaches honor and loyalty. It reinforces a sense of community . Lineages like the my family, the Balogun Alatishe family come together and it reminds us that we are part of something bigger than ourselves. The entire festival is rooted in paying homage to the Awujale, not just as a monarch, but as a symbol of unity and tradition
Ojude Oba teaches the next generation to be proud of their history, grounded in their tradition, connected in family and bold enough to carry the culture forward. It shows the next generation that greatness is not just individual, it’s collective. It’s inherited, but also earned.
Ultimately Ojude Oba reminds us that knowing where you come from is just as important as where you’re going
- You’ve consistently leveraged digital platforms to amplify the visibility of Yoruba traditions globally. What innovative strategies or storytelling techniques have you found most effective in bridging cultural narratives with global audiences?
For me, the most effective strategy has been cultural translation without dilution, Festivals like Ojude Oba, for instance, are incredibly rich in colour, music, fashion, and emotion. Capturing that through high-quality videos, reels, and short documentaries creates immediate resonance, even for audiences unfamiliar with the culture.
Another key strategy is contextual narration its way beyond just showing the event, it’s about telling the story of why it matters. Sharing the backstory of the family’s lineage, explaining the significance of our outfit. I find that global audiences connect more deeply when they understand the meaning behind what they’re seeing.
Essentially showcasing Yoruba traditions in their authentic form in ways that are both accessible and visually compelling.
4. As a custodian of tradition and a modern tastemaker, how do you respond to critics who feel cultural festivals are becoming too commercialized or diluted for social media consumption?
To be honest I understand where the critics are coming from, there’s a genuine concern about sacred traditions being reduced to spectacles or social media trends. But I believe that evolution and preservation can coexist. Culture isn’t static, it’s a living, breathing entity that adapts over time.
Social media and commercial platforms have actually opened new doors for cultural festivals like Ojude Oba to reach younger generations and global audiences who might otherwise have remained disconnected. The challenge and responsibility for us is to engage these tools with intention and respect, ensuring that the core values and meanings aren’t lost in the process.
Curation and context plays a key role in my content. When I share elements of Ojude Oba online, I do so by grounding them in storytelling that honours their origins and significance. I avoid superficial portrayals and instead invite deeper conversations.
Commercialization doesn’t have to mean dilution. When handled thoughtfully, it can mean sustainability and visibility, creating opportunities for artisans, families, and communities to thrive while celebrating their heritage.
In short, the key is balance: embracing modern platforms as bridges, not replacements and ensuring the heart of the culture beats loud and clear, no matter the medium used. Watching Ojude Oba online, led to and increasing number of people showing up to view it physically this year.
- If you could design a flagship cultural initiative that encapsulates your vision for preserving Ijebu heritage over the next 50 years, what would that look like, and what legacy would you want it to leave behind?
If I were to design a flagship cultural initiative, it would be a multidimensional platform called “Ijebu Reimagined.” Or “Ijebu Redefined” This initiative would fuse education, technology, arts, and community engagement to preserve and propel Ijebu heritage into the future.
At its core, we would have a cultural archive and digital museum, something like a living repository of oral histories, music, festivals like Ojude Oba, traditional crafts, and ancestral wisdom, accessible globally through virtual reality and immersive storytelling. It would also team “Ijebu” as a language. I like what Masoyinbo is doing with Yoruba.
Beyond preservation, it would be a creative incubator, nurturing young Ijebu artists, fashion designers, historians, and technologists who are passionate about innovating within their culture.
