Isese Traditionalists Urge Tinubu to Declare August 20, 21 Public Holidays

The International Council for Ifa Religion has called on President Bola Tinubu to grant formal recognition to the country’s traditional religion adherents by declaring August 20 and 21 as public holidays.

The appeal was made in a statement released on Wednesday in Ibadan, Oyo State, by the council’s President, Fayemi Fakayode, as part of activities marking the 2025 edition of Isese Day, an annual festival celebrated by followers of Yoruba traditional religion and culture.

Fakayode said the move would reflect fairness and inclusivity, stressing that adherents of Christianity and Islam already enjoy multiple national holidays in recognition of their faiths.

He noted that despite its long-standing cultural significance, the Isese community continues to face marginalisation in Nigeria’s policy framework.

“We urge President Tinubu to demonstrate equity and religious tolerance by officially declaring August 20 and 21 as public holidays for traditionalists, just as Christians and Muslims are given their own days of rest and celebration,” the statement read.

The council emphasised that Isese Day is not only a spiritual observance but also an occasion that promotes cultural heritage, unity, and moral values among the Yoruba and other ethnic groups with indigenous religious practices.

Fakayode further appealed to state governments across the federation, especially in the South-West, to domesticate the recognition of the celebration by granting workers the right to observe the holiday without discrimination.

Isese Day, which literally means “the day of tradition,” is marked with prayers, sacrifices, and cultural displays in reverence to Yoruba deities and ancestors.

In recent years, several states in Nigeria, including Osun and Ogun, have declared August 20 as a public holiday for traditionalists, but campaigners insist that national recognition is long overdue.