Lagos residents are set to mark Ìṣẹ̀ṣe Day with a statewide celebration of Yoruba culture and indigenous heritage.
The Lagos State Government has declared Thursday, August 20, 2026, a work-free day for the celebration.
The holiday will cover public servants, government offices and public schools. Normal activities will resume on Friday.
The decision allows residents to join traditional activities planned across Lagos. The celebration is also expected to attract participants from the global Yoruba community.
Special Adviser on Tourism, Arts and Culture, Idris Aregbe, said Ìṣẹ̀ṣe represents more than a 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.
He noted that Yoruba traditions have followers in Brazil, Cuba and the Caribbean.
“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.
The Ìṣẹ̀ṣe Day celebration will feature prayers, traditional rites, processions, drumming and cultural displays.
Lagos has observed Ìṣẹ̀ṣe Day as a work-free day since 2023. The practice followed a request from the Lagos State Council of Obas and Chiefs.
Aregbe also urged participants to celebrate peacefully while respecting other faiths.
“Whether you worship in a mosque, a church or a grove, Ìṣẹ̀ṣe Day belongs to you, because heritage has no denomination,” he said.
The Ìṣẹ̀ṣe Day celebration highlights Lagos’ efforts to preserve indigenous culture and promote cultural tourism.
Aregbe concluded with the traditional expression: “Ìṣẹ̀ṣe la gbà, Ìṣẹ̀ṣe a gbè wá o.”
