The Lagos and Ogun State Governments have declared Thursday, August 20, 2026, a public holiday to commemorate this year’s Isese Day celebration.
Gatekeepers News reports that the announcements were contained in separate statements issued by officials of both state governments on Wednesday.
In Lagos, Idris Aregbe, Special Adviser to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Tourism, Arts and Culture, said the holiday would enable residents to participate fully in the traditional celebration.
Aregbe described Isese Day as more than a public holiday, saying it represents a “living expression” of Yoruba spirituality and cultural heritage.
“Ìṣẹ̀ṣe 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,” he said.
He added that the celebration connected Yoruba cultural heritage with communities across the world.
“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.
“Whether you worship in a mosque, a church or a grove, Ìṣẹ̀ṣe Day belongs to you, because heritage has no denomination. Lagos remains the city where every heritage finds its place.”
Aregbe said Sanwo-Olu had continued to support the preservation of indigenous values and religious inclusiveness under the administration’s THEMES+ Agenda.
In Ogun, Kayode Akinmade, Special Adviser to Governor Dapo Abiodun on Information and Strategy, said the public holiday would provide adherents of Yoruba traditional religion an opportunity to honour their ancestors and observe traditional rites.
He urged residents to celebrate peacefully and responsibly while respecting the beliefs, rights and practices of others.
“It would be recalled that August 20 was formally declared a public holiday in Ogun State in 2023, following a resolution of the Ogun State House of Assembly and the approval of Governor Dapo Abiodun,” the statement said.
The government said the celebration provides an opportunity for adherents of Yoruba traditional religion to honour their ancestors, observe traditional rites and promote the values and teachings embedded in their spiritual and cultural practices.
It added that the festival also strengthens community bonds among practitioners while giving the wider society an opportunity to appreciate and respect Yoruba cultural heritage.
Isese Day is observed annually on August 20 by adherents of the Yoruba traditional religion.
The celebration typically features traditional processions, rituals, prayers and worship centred on the deities within the Yoruba religious tradition.
