The Lagos State Government has declared Thursday, August 20, 2026, a work-free day to allow residents and visitors 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.
Aregbe said the work-free day would enable Lagos residents and visitors to fully participate in the celebration, which is expected to attract more than three million traditional worshippers.
He described Ìṣẹ̀ṣe Day as more than a public holiday, stressing its importance to Yoruba spirituality and cultural heritage.
“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 Aregbe, Yoruba people, estimated to number more than 55 million globally, have continued to preserve their traditions and pass them on to younger generations.
He noted that Yoruba cultural traditions have also remained significant in countries including Cuba, Brazil and parts of the Caribbean, where communities of Yoruba descent continue to live.
“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 culmination of a week-long programme of traditional activities. Lagos has observed the occasion as a work-free day since 2023 following a request by the Lagos State Council of Obas and Chiefs.
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has continued the practice as part of his administration’s stated commitment to indigenous values and religious inclusiveness under the THEMES+ Agenda.
Aregbe commended Sanwo-Olu for supporting the celebration and also acknowledged traditional rulers and custodians of Yoruba culture for preserving the heritage.
He specifically recognised the Oba of Lagos, Oba Rilwan Akiolu I, traditional chiefs, Babaláwo, Ìyánífá, Olóòrìṣà and other custodians of Yoruba traditions.
“Governments come and go. Custodians carry the culture,” Aregbe said.
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, saying the event should promote cultural pride and unity.
“Three million voices rising in honour of tradition is not noise. It is history, faith and cultural pride in harmony,” he said.
He added that the celebration was open to people from different religious backgrounds as a cultural heritage event.
“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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