Ifa Council Urges Tinubu to Declare August 20–21 as National Holidays for Isese Festival

The International Council for Ifa Religion (ICIR) has appealed to President Bola Tinubu to grant national recognition to traditional religion practitioners by declaring August 20 and 21 as public holidays in honour of Isese Day. The call was made on Wednesday in a statement by ICIR President, Fayemi Fakayode, during the 2025 Isese Day celebration in Ibadan, Oyo State.

Fakayode praised the governments of Oyo, Lagos, Ogun, and Osun States for declaring a work-free day to mark the occasion, and urged other South-West and North-Central states — including Ekiti, Ondo, Kwara, Kogi, Edo, and Delta — to follow suit by officially recognising August 20 annually as Isese Day.

He stressed the need for equity among Nigeria’s three major religions, urging the Presidency to address the current imbalance by offering the same recognition and privileges given to Christianity and Islam. This includes funding cultural festivals, preserving sacred lands and shrines, and incorporating traditionalists into cultural and religious councils nationwide.

Fakayode also called on the Federal Government to invest in cultural heritage sites to foster tourism, boost the economy, and support grassroots development. He emphasized that Isese reflects the core of Yoruba and African heritage, symbolizing values such as morality, unity, respect for nature, and communal living.