Ibadan, Oyo State – The International Council for Ifa Religion has urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to declare August 20 and 21 as national public holidays in recognition of Isese adherents.
The council’s president, Fayemi Fakayode, said the demand was necessary to end what he described as “the present state of inequality” among the three major religions in Nigeria.
Fakayode, in a statement issued on Wednesday, August 20, during the 2025 Isese Day celebration in Ibadan, noted that the federal government should grant due recognition to traditional worshippers by institutionalising an annual holiday.
He also called on the government to fund cultural festivals, protect shrines and sacred lands, and integrate Isese practitioners into cultural councils just as it does for Muslims and Christians.
Fakayode commended South-West governors for declaring a holiday for Isese Day and urged leaders in Ekiti, Ondo, Kwara, Kogi, Edo, and Delta states to follow suit.
Isese Day, observed every August 20, is a Yoruba cultural and religious holiday that honours deities, ancestors, and traditions through prayers, dances, and sacrifices. It is widely regarded as a celebration of Yoruba identity and heritage.
Recently, the Ogun and Lagos state governments declared August 20 and 21 a public holiday, joining Oyo in granting formal recognition to the annual festival.