Ogun agog as Traditionalists celebrate 2023 Isese Day
Traditional worshippers thronged major Ogun communities to celebrate Isese Day on Sunday.
For years, traditionalists mounted pressure on the governments of Osun, Ogun, Lagos, Oyo, Ondo, and Ekiti states, asking for recognition and the declaration of August 20 as a work-free day for their festivity.
For years, they claimed government was not fair to them as there are official declarations of various holidays for Muslims and Christians, while August 20 remained ignored by the authorities.
Their agitations got the needed attention this year as the governments of Ogun, Oyo, Osun, and Lagos states declared Monday, August 21, a public holiday to mark Isese Day.
On Sunday, idol worshippers, native doctors, Ifa priests, alternative medicine practitioners, and other adherents of non-orthodox religions turned out en masse to celebrate.
With pomp and fanfare, they took to the streets, marching from one location to another, singing and dancing.
In Abeokuta, traditionalists, all dressed in white apparel, trekked to their sacred place, known as Oke Abola, located at Oke-Aregba.
After praying and performing some rites at Oke Abola, they converged on Ake Palace Square for merriment.
The Alake and Paramount Ruler of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Gbadebo, joined them at the palace square to celebrate the traditional event.
Across various communities, traditionalists organised get-togethers, where they dined, wined, and danced as they worshipped their gods.
Meanwhile, the Olota of Ota, Oba Abdukabir Obalanlege, has called on President Bola Tinubu to recognise August 20 as a national celebration, saying the move would bring about peaceful co-existence and showcase the rich cultural and traditional values of Nigerians.
Obalanlege emphasised that Nigeria’s Constitution gives everyone the right to practise any religion of choice for the furtherance of peace, especially in a democratic setting.
Similarly, the lawmaker representing Ipokia/Idiroko state constituency, Bisi Oyedele, also celebrated with traditionalists in Idiroko.
According to Oyedele, “The celebration is not about atheism but about the collective, true identities of our existence.”
