Traditional worshippers in Ekiti State on Sunday renewed call on the Federal Government and the Ekiti State to give recognition to August 20 as Isese Day by declaring it a public holiday.
The traditional worshippers, under different groups, who gathered at the Falegan area of Ado Ekiti, the state capital, to celebrate this year’s Isese Day lauded the governments of Lagos, Osun, Oyo and Ogun states for giving recognition to traditional religion by declaring holiday for it.
The Awise (Speaker) of the National Council of Iseselagba (traditional worshippers) in Ekiti State, Dauda Lawal, who praised the Ekiti State Government for its approach to issues and developmental strides,m however, appealed to it “to recognise August 20 as Isese Day.”
He said, “We appeal to Governor Biodun Oyebanji, who is a people’s governor, too, like his counterparts in other South-West states, to declare a public holiday for Isese so that we can have time to celebrate the yearly event.
The Awise, who said the traditional worshippers had been praying daily at their individual levels, said, “But today, this is collective. We are using the occasion to pray for President Bola Tinubu and his government; Ekiti State Governor, Oyebanji, and his government, the traditional rulers and everybody in the state.”
The Oba Aare Oloja Isese Agbaye, Ifakayode Famuyibo, who corroborated the Awise, urged Oyebanji to approve a public holiday yearly for August 20 “so that we can celebrate Isese extensively stressing that, “Ekiti is the source of Isese.
“Isese is the first religion which everybody should embrace and celebrate. It is a moment for prayers and celebrating our past and present,” he said.
The traditional worshippers including adherents of Ifa, Osun, Oya, Aje, Osanyin, with the majority of them dressed in white attire, offered prayers for peace, tranquility, prosperity, and progress in the lives of the country and state citizens.
