Lagos declares Thursday work-free for 2026 Isese Day

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Gov Sanwo-Olu

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…Three million traditional worshippers expected for celebration

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LAGOS — The Lagos State Government has declared Thursday, August 20, 2026, a work-free day to enable residents and visitors to participate in activities marking the 2026 Ìṣẹ̀ṣe Day celebration.

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The Special Adviser to the Governor on Tourism, Arts and Culture, Idris Aregbe, announced the decision in a statement issued on Wednesday.

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Aregbe said the declaration was intended to enable Lagos residents and visitors to participate fully in the celebration, which is expected to attract more than three million traditional worshippers.

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He described Ìṣẹ̀ṣe Day as more than a public holiday, stressing its significance to Yoruba spirituality and cultural heritage.

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“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.

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According to Aregbe, the Yoruba people, estimated to number more than 55 million globally, have continued to preserve their cultural heritage and transmit it to younger generations.

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He noted that the preservation of Yoruba traditions had also sustained Ìṣẹ̀ṣe festivals in countries such as Cuba, Brazil and parts of the Caribbean, where Yoruba descendants live.

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“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,” Aregbe said.

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Ìṣẹ̀ṣe Day marks the culmination of a week-long programme of traditional activities and has been observed as a work-free day in Lagos since 2023, following a request by the Lagos State Council of Obas and Chiefs.

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Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has maintained the practice annually as part of his administration’s commitment to indigenous values and religious inclusiveness under the THEMES+ Agenda.

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Aregbe commended the governor for supporting the celebration and also paid tribute to traditional rulers and custodians of Yoruba culture for preserving the heritage.

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“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.

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He also acknowledged the contributions of the Oba of Lagos, Oba Rilwan Akiolu I, traditional chiefs, Babaláwo, Ìyánífá, Olóòrìṣà and other custodians of Yoruba traditions.

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

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The 2026 celebration will feature prayers, rituals, processions, drumming and cultural displays dedicated to the Òrìṣà.

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The activities will be coordinated by the Association of African Traditional Religion Nigeria and Overseas.

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Aregbe urged participants to celebrate peacefully and respectfully, saying the event was intended to promote cultural pride and unity.

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“Three million voices rising in honour of tradition is not noise. It is history, faith and cultural pride in harmony,” he said.

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He added: “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.”

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