Lagos declares Thursday work-free for 2026 Isese day

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The Lagos State Government has declared Thursday, August 20, 2026, a work-free day to enable residents 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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He said the work-free day was intended to allow Lagos residents and visitors to fully participate in the celebration, which is expected to attract more than three million traditional worshippers.

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Aregbe described Ìṣẹ̀ṣe Day as more than a public holiday, stressing its importance 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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He noted that the Yoruba people, estimated to number more than 55 million globally, have continued to preserve their culture and pass it on to younger generations.

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According to him, the preservation of Yoruba traditions has 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 recognised 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. 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, stressing that the event is 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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