Isese Day: Lagos, Ogun, Oyo declare Thursday work-free

The Lagos, Ogun and Oyo State governments have declared Thursday, August 20, work-free to commemorate this year’s Isese Day, with the three states framing the annual celebration as an important expression of Yoruba culture, traditional religion and indigenous heritage, The PUNCH reports.

The declarations mean public servants and other residents in the three South-West states will observe the day as a public or work-free holiday as traditional worshippers gather for prayers, rituals, processions, and other cultural activities.

In Lagos, the government said more than three million people were expected to participate in the celebration, which it described as potentially the largest single gathering of faithfuls of the African Traditional Religion in the world.

The Special Adviser to the Governor on Tourism, Arts and Culture, Idris Aregbe, announced the work-free day in a statement on Wednesday, saying the celebration should not be viewed merely as another holiday.

“Isese is not a relic. It is a living expression of our traditions and a celebration of Yoruba spirituality as an important part of Nigeria’s cultural and religious landscape,” Aregbe said.

He said the Yoruba, estimated at more than 55 million people globally, had continued to preserve their culture across generations and beyond Nigeria.

Aregbe said the survival of Yoruba traditional practices in countries such as Cuba, Brazil and those in the Caribbean demonstrated the international reach of the culture.

“When the drums sound in Lagos on Thursday, they answer drums in Havana, in Salvador, in Port of Spain. Fifty-five million people and counting. Lagos is not observing a local holiday. Lagos is standing at the centre of a global heritage,” he said.

The Lagos government said Isese Day marked the culmination of a week-long programme of traditional activities and had been observed as a work-free day in the state since 2023, following a request by the Lagos State Council of Obas and Chiefs.

It said Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu had maintained the observance annually as part of his administration’s commitment to indigenous values and religious inclusiveness under the THEMES+ agenda.

Aregbe thanked Sanwo-Olu for supporting the observance and also acknowledged traditional rulers and custodians of Yoruba religious practices.

“We thank His Excellency, Mr Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu. It takes real conviction for a leader to stand publicly with heritage, and he has done so without hesitation and without apology,” he said.

He also paid tribute to the Oba of Lagos, Oba Rilwan Akiolu, traditional rulers, White Cap Chiefs, Babalawo, Iyanifa, Olooriṣa and other custodians of the culture.

“Governments come and go. Custodians carry the culture,” Aregbe said.

The state said this year’s programme would include prayers, rituals, processions, drumming and cultural displays dedicated to the Orisa, coordinated by the Association of African Traditional Religion Nigeria and Overseas.

Aregbe urged participants to observe the celebration peacefully and respect people of other faiths.

“Three million voices rising in honour of tradition is not noise. It is history, faith and cultural pride in harmony. Whether you worship in a mosque, a church or a grove, Isese Day belongs to you, because heritage has no denomination. Lagos remains the city where every heritage finds its place,” he said.

In Ogun State, the government said the decision was aimed at preserving and promoting Yoruba culture, heritage and traditional values.

The announcement was contained in a statement signed by the Special Adviser to Governor Dapo Abiodun on Information and Strategy, Kayode Akinmade, and made available to journalists on Wednesday.

The government recalled that August 20 was formally declared a public holiday in Ogun in 2023 following a resolution of the state House of Assembly and the approval of Abiodun.

According to the government, Isese Day provides traditional worshippers with an opportunity to honour their ancestors, observe traditional rites and promote the values embedded in their spiritual and cultural practices.

“Isese Day provides an opportunity for adherents of the Yoruba traditional religion to honour their ancestors, observe traditional rites and promote the values and teachings embedded in their spiritual and cultural practices,” the statement said.

It added that the celebration also provided an opportunity for the wider society to appreciate Yoruba heritage.

“The celebration also promotes a sense of community among practitioners, while providing an opportunity for the wider society to appreciate and respect the rich cultural heritage of the Yoruba people,” the government said.

The government said the observance also reflected the administration’s recognition of the role of culture and traditional institutions in preserving the state’s identity and strengthening social cohesion.

It urged residents to celebrate peacefully and responsibly while respecting the beliefs, rights and practices of others.

In Oyo State, Governor Seyi Makinde felicitated traditional worshippers in the state and beyond.

In a memo signed by the Secretary to the State Government, Prof Musibau Babatunde, and conveyed in a statement by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Media, Sulaimon Olanrewaju, made available to journalists in Ibadan, Makinde congratulated adherents of African Traditional Religion and wished them a successful and spiritually enriching celebration.

The governor also reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to fairness among adherents of different religions and thanked traditional worshippers for their support for his government over the past seven years.

According to the memo, the work-free day would allow workers and residents to participate fully in the celebration and pray for the state and country.

“The work-free day will enable workers and residents to fully participate in the celebration of the state’s cultural heritage and pray for the peace, unity, and stability of the state in particular, and the country in general,” it said.

The Oyo State government said Makinde introduced the Isese Day celebration as part of efforts to recognise adherents of traditional religion and harness the state’s cultural heritage for economic development.

It described cultural tourism as one of Oyo’s major strengths and linked the celebration to the state’s broader effort to use its traditional heritage as a driver of economic growth.

The simultaneous declarations by Lagos, Ogun and Oyo continue a trend in the South-West of formally recognising Isese Day, while the three states have presented the observance not only as a religious occasion for traditional worshippers but also as an expression of Yoruba cultural identity and heritage.