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.
The Special Adviser to the Governor on Tourism, Arts and Culture, Idris Aregbe, announced the decision in a statement issued on Wednesday.
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.
Aregbe described Ìṣẹ̀ṣe Day as more than a public holiday, stressing its importance to Yoruba spirituality and cultural heritage.
Aregbe stated that Ìṣẹ̀ṣe is not a relic, describing it as a living expression of traditions and a celebration of Yoruba spirituality as an important part of Nigeria’s cultural and religious landscape.
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.
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.
Aregbe remarked that when the drums sound in Lagos on Thursday, they answer drums in Havana, in Salvador, and in Port of Spain among fifty-five million people and counting, adding that Lagos is not observing a local holiday but standing at the centre of a global heritage.
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.
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.
Aregbe commended the Governor for supporting the celebration and also paid tribute to traditional rulers and custodians of Yoruba culture for preserving the heritage.
He expressed gratitude to Mr. Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu, noting that it takes real conviction for a leader to stand publicly with heritage, which the Governor has done without hesitation and without apology.
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.
Aregbe observed that while governments come and go, custodians carry the culture.
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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.
Aregbe urged participants to celebrate peacefully and respectfully, stressing that the event is intended to promote cultural pride and unity.
He stated that three million voices rising in honour of tradition is not noise, but history, faith, and cultural pride in harmony.
He added that whether one worships in a mosque, a church, or a grove, Ìṣẹ̀ṣe Day belongs to everyone because heritage has no denomination, concluding that Lagos remains the city where every heritage finds its place.
