Fancy a long weekend? If you're in Lagos, you're getting one - and it's for culture. The drums are about to get loud again.

As first reported by cbinews.tv, the Lagos State Government has declared Thursday, 20 August, 2026 a work-free day for all public servants to mark this year's Ìṣẹ̀ṣe Day.

And this is no small affair.

According to a statement issued on Wednesday by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Tourism, Arts and Culture, Idris Aregbe, the holiday is to allow residents and visitors to fully immerse themselves in the celebration. The state is expecting more than three million traditional worshippers to pour into venues across Lagos.

But what exactly is Ìṣẹ̀ṣe?

For the uninitiated, Ìṣẹ̀ṣe simply means "tradition". It's the umbrella term for Yoruba spirituality, philosophy and way of life - the worship of the Òrìṣà, the wisdom of the Ifá corpus, and all the festivals that come with it. It's not, as Aregbe was keen to stress, some dusty relic.

“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,” he said.

He's got a point. We are talking about a global family. The Yoruba are estimated at over 55 million people worldwide, one of Africa's largest ethno-linguistic groups. And thanks to the transatlantic history, that heritage never stayed in South-West Nigeria.

Aregbe put it beautifully:

“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's referring to the living Ìṣẹ̀ṣe traditions in Cuba as Santería, in Brazil as Candomblé, and across Trinidad, Haiti and the wider Caribbean. What Lagos does on Thursday echoes globally.

A bit of background and history

While it feels like a long-standing holiday now, Ìṣẹ̀ṣe Day is actually quite recent in official terms.

Osun State blazed the trail, first declaring 20 August a public holiday for Isese back in August 2014 under Governor Rauf Aregbesola. For years, traditional religion adherents campaigned for wider recognition, arguing that Islam and Christianity had public holidays, but indigenous faith did not.

The big shift came in 2023. Following sustained pressure and a formal request from the Lagos State Council of Obas and Chiefs, four South-West states - Lagos, Oyo, Ogun and Osun - jointly adopted 20 August as Ìṣẹ̀ṣe Day. Lagos Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu declared Monday, 21 August 2023, as the first work-free day in the state to commemorate it.

Since then, it has become an annual fixture, a key pillar of Sanwo-Olu's THEMES+ Agenda, which preaches religious inclusiveness and preservation of indigenous values.

This year's 2026 edition marks the culmination of a week-long programme - think prayers, sacred rituals, colourful processions, talking drums, and cultural displays dedicated to the Òrìṣà. It's being coordinated by the Association of African Traditional Religion Nigeria and Overseas (AATREN).

Aregbe was full of praise for the political will behind it:

“We thank His Excellency, Mr. Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu. It takes real conviction for a leader to stand publicly with heritage, and he has done so without hesitation and without apology.”

He also paid tribute to the real custodians: the Oba of Lagos, Oba Rilwan Akiolu I, traditional chiefs, Babaláwo, Ìyánífá, Olóòrìṣà and others.

“Governments come and go. Custodians carry the culture,” he noted.

His final message was for everyone - whether you find your peace in the mosque, the church, or the grove:

“Three million voices rising in honour of tradition is not noise. It is history, faith and cultural pride in harmony... Whether you worship in a mosque, a church or a grove, Ìṣẹ̀ṣe Day belongs to you, because heritage has no denomination. Lagos remains the city where every heritage finds its place.”

He urged all participants to celebrate peacefully and respectfully.

So, if you're in Lagos this Thursday, expect white attire, beads, chants and drums from Badagry to Epe. Work can wait. Heritage cannot.

Source: cbinews.tv

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