By Dapo Akinrefon
LAGOS — Lagos State is set to take centre stage in the celebration of Yoruba heritage and spirituality on Thursday, as more than three million residents are expected to participate in activities marking the 2026 Ìṣẹ̀ṣe Day.
To enable residents and visitors to participate fully in the celebration, the Lagos State Government has declared Thursday, August 20, a work-free day for public servants, political appointees and others.
The declaration was announced by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Tourism, Arts and Culture, Idris Aregbe, who described Ìṣẹ̀ṣe Day as more than a holiday, but an important celebration of Yoruba identity, spirituality and cultural heritage.
Aregbe said Ìṣẹ̀ṣe remained a living tradition and an important component of Nigeria’s cultural and religious landscape, stressing that its significance had continued to transcend geographical boundaries.
“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.
According to him, the Yoruba people, with an estimated global population of more than 55 million, have continued to preserve their culture and pass it from one generation to another.
He noted that the enduring commitment to Yoruba traditions had also sustained Ìṣẹ̀ṣe festivals among Yoruba communities and people of Yoruba ancestry in parts of Cuba, Brazil and the Caribbean.
“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.
Ìṣẹ̀ṣe Day marks the climax 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.
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has maintained the annual declaration in line with his administration’s stated commitment to indigenous values, cultural preservation and religious inclusiveness under the THEMES+ Agenda.
Aregbe commended the governor for his continued support for the celebration, while also paying tribute to the traditional institution and custodians of Yoruba culture for preserving the heritage over generations.
He particularly acknowledged the Oba of Lagos, Oba Rilwan Akiolu I, royal fathers, White Cap Chiefs, Babaláwo, Ìyánífá, Olóòrìṣà and other cultural custodians for their contributions to sustaining traditional practices.
This year’s celebration is expected to feature prayers, rituals, processions, drumming and cultural displays dedicated to the Òrìṣà.
The activities are being coordinated by the Association of African Traditional Religion Nigeria and Overseas (AATREN), with participants expected from within Lagos and beyond.
The Special Adviser urged participants to conduct themselves peacefully and respectfully throughout the celebrations, stressing that the occasion should promote cultural pride, harmony and mutual respect.
“Three million voices rising in honour of tradition is not noise. It is history, faith and cultural pride in harmony,” he said.
Aregbe further stressed that the celebration was not intended to exclude Nigerians of other faiths, noting that cultural heritage could be appreciated across religious boundaries.
“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,” he said.
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