By Peace Udugba
The Lagos State Government has declared Thursday, August 20, 2026, a work-free day to enable residents and visitors to participate fully in activities marking this year’s Ìṣẹ̀ṣe Day.
The declaration was announced on Wednesday by the Special Adviser to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Tourism, Arts and Culture, Idris Aregbe.
Aregbe said the decision was aimed at giving residents and visitors the opportunity to participate in the traditional festivities, which organisers expect to attract more than three million worshippers.
He described Ìṣẹ̀ṣe as a significant expression of Yoruba spirituality, cultural identity and indigenous heritage, stressing that the annual observance goes beyond the declaration of a public holiday.
“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,” Aregbe said.
The governor’s aide noted that Yoruba cultural practices had gained global recognition and continued to spread through communities of Yoruba descendants in parts of the Caribbean and Latin America.
“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.
Ìṣẹ̀ṣe Day is 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 for official recognition of the celebration.
The Sanwo-Olu administration has continued the practice annually, with the state government linking the observance to its commitment to preserving cultural heritage, promoting indigenous values and supporting religious inclusiveness.
Aregbe commended Governor Sanwo-Olu for sustaining the tradition and praised traditional rulers and cultural custodians for their role in preserving Yoruba heritage.
“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 acknowledged the contributions of the Oba of Lagos, Rilwan Akiolu, traditional chiefs, Babaláwo, Ìyánífá, Olóòrìṣà and other custodians of indigenous traditions.
“Governments come and go. Custodians carry the culture,” Aregbe added.
The 2026 Ìṣẹ̀ṣe Day observance is expected to feature traditional, cultural and spiritual activities across Lagos as residents and visitors join in celebrating Yoruba indigenous heritage.
