A masquerade at Isese Day.
‘Isese’ Day, August 20 every year is a day set aside in Ogun State as public holiday for traditional religion practitioners and worshippers to mark the beginning of their New Year and to celebrate their religion.
Speaking against the background of this year’s forthcoming Isese Day, Oba Adifagbola Ifarotimi, Chairman of the Isese Kingdom of Truth Association of Nigeria has highlighted the importance of the day to the state and the nation at large.
According to Oba Ifarotimi, the essence of the celebration was to atone and pray for government, the governed, as well as different communities for the beginning of the new calendar year of traditional religion.
Briefing the Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Sesan Fagbayi, during the visit of representatives of the Isese Kingdom of Truth Association of Nigeria and Igunuko Traditional Religion Believers Association of Nigeria to Ogun State Secretariat, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, the traditionalist noted that this year’s Isese Festival would be marked with pageantry and fanfares.
Oba Ifarotimi said the visit to government was to appreciate the state government for legalising ‘Isese’ Day and making it a public holiday.
He highlighted the extent of this year’s forthcoming programs and urged government to support traditionalists for this year’s celebration.
In his own response, Fagbayi, enjoined Traditionalists in the state to entrench integrity and transparency, as well as embrace truthfulness and honesty in their dealings.
The commissioner reiterated the present administration’s commitment to promote cultural practices among different religious groups in the state, saying that the government recognition for culture and heritage in the state led to the approval of Isese Day festival on August 20 of every year.
