Lagos State Government has declared Thursday, August 20, 2026, a work-free day for public servants, political appointees and others as residents mark the 2026 Ìṣẹ̀ṣe Day and celebrate Yoruba heritage.
The state is expected to host more than three million traditional worshippers and residents for what authorities describe as one of the largest gatherings of traditional worshippers in the world.
The Special Adviser to the Governor on Tourism, Arts and Culture, Idris Aregbe, announced the declaration in a statement personally signed on Wednesday.
Aregbe described Ìṣẹ̀ṣe Day as more than a public holiday, saying it represents a living expression of Yoruba tradition and spirituality.
“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.
He said the Yoruba are among Africa’s largest ethnic groups, with more than 55 million people globally, and continue to preserve their culture by passing it on to younger generations.
According to Aregbe, the preservation of Yoruba traditions has also sustained Ìṣẹ̀ṣe festivals in Cuba, Brazil and the Caribbean, where Yoruba communities have lived for generations.
“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.
Lagos Maintains Ìṣẹ̀ṣe Holiday
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 Olusola Sanwo-Olu has maintained the declaration annually as part of his administration’s commitment to indigenous values and religious inclusiveness under the THEMES+ Agenda.
Aregbe commended Sanwo-Olu for supporting the celebration and also recognised traditional rulers and custodians of Yoruba culture for preserving the 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. We also bow to Kábíyèsí, the Oba of Lagos, Oba Rilwan Akiolu I, foremost custodian of Lagos culture, to all our royal fathers, our revered White Cap Chiefs, our Babaláwo and Ìyánífá, our Olóòrìṣà and every custodian and promoter who kept these rites alive when it was neither fashionable nor convenient. Governments come and go. Custodians carry the culture,” he said.
The 2026 celebrations 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 (AATREN).
Aregbe urged participants to celebrate peacefully and respectfully, describing the event as a celebration open to Lagos residents regardless of their religious backgrounds.
“Three million voices rising in honour of tradition is not noise. It is history, faith and cultural pride in harmony. 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.”
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