Isese Day, celebration of enduring Yoruba values, tradition – OPC chieftain

…lauds South-West govs for setting aside day to celebrate

As Yoruba sons and daughters across Southwest Nigeria celebrate Isese Day today, the Akinrogun Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland, Otunba Kazeem Adewale Hamzat, who is also the General Co-ordinator, Oodua People’s Congress (OPC) in Alimosho Local Government Area of Lagos State, has said that Isese Day holds profound cultural and traditional significance in Yorubaland.

Otunba Hamzat said this, while addressing newsmen in Lagos on the significance of the celebration, lauding the state governments across the region for setting aside the day to celebrate the rich indigenous religious and cultural heritage of the Yoruba people.

It would be recalled that the Lagos, Oyo, Osun and Ogun state governments have all declared today, Wednesday, August 20, 2025, as a work-free day to allow traditional worshippers and the general public to fully engage in the festivities that promote and preserve indigenous heritage.

According to the Lagos-based businessman, the respective state governments have done what is noble by sustaining Isese Day, noting that the day serves as a vital reminder of the enduring values, traditions, and spiritual beliefs that have shaped the identity and worldview of the Yoruba community over centuries.

He commended all the traditional rulers in Yorubaland for keeping up their roles as custodians of the people’s culture and tradition, and for continuously projecting the philosophy, ethics, and spirituality of the Yoruba people.

Hamzat observed that celebrating Isese Day annually is a way of preserving the Yoruba cultural identity in the face of modernisation and globalization, pointing out that celebrating “the day promotes unity and pride, and fosters a sense of unity among Yoruba sons and daughters by reconnecting them with their ancestral roots.”

“Isese Day acts as a beacon for preserving the Yoruba indigenous culture, ensuring that the customs, rituals, and language are passed down to future generations. By so doing, it promotes unity and pride, and fosters a sense of unity among Yoruba sons and daughters by reconnecting them with their ancestral roots.

“The celebration also encourages cultural awareness and respect, strengthens social cohesion by reinforcing social bonds and communal solidarity, and encourages cultural renaissance by inspiring renewed interest in Yoruba traditions,” the OPC chieftain said.

The OPC chieftain, while congratulating Yoruba sons and daughters in the country and in the Diaspora on the auspicious occasion of Isese Day, laid their commitment to preserving and promoting the Yoruba cultural heritage.

He maintained that celebrating Isese Day reflects a profound respect for the ancestors and a deep appreciation for the values that have sustained the Yoruba people through generations.

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