See States That Have Declared Monday Public Holiday In Nigeria

See States That Have Declared Monday Public Holiday In Nigeria

Government of Lagos, Oyo, Ogun and Osun states have declared Monday, August 21, as a work-free day to mark the Isese Day celebration. Jibril Gawat, senior special assistant to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, announced this through a post on X (formerly Twitter) on Saturday.

He mentioned that the decision was communicated through a circular issued by Hakeem Muri-Okunola, the state’s head of service.

The declaration is in line with the governor’s commitment to supporting traditional institutions and preserving the state’s indigenous culture.

Public workers in Lagos are expected to resume work at 8 am on Tuesday.

This announcement follows a similar move by the Oyo government, which also declared Monday a work-free day to observe the festival. Olanike Adeyemo, the secretary to the state government in Oyo, announced that Governor Seyi Makinde approved the holiday.

The Isese festival, observed annually on August 20, is a significant event for followers of the Yoruba traditional religion. It involves various processions and ceremonies dedicated to the numerous gods in the Yoruba pantheon.

However, the festival has sparked controversy in Ilorin, Kwara State, as traditional religion practitioners faced challenges in celebrating the event due to objections from an Islamic group. Emir Sulu Gambari of Ilorin cited the need to prevent potential conflicts as a reason for cancelling the festival in the state.