- August is here, the eighth month of the Gregorian calendar, the most widely used schedule in the world
- Many special days happen in August, including International Youth Day, Women’s Equality Day, and others
- In this report, Legit.ng highlights four Nigerian states that have the practice of declaring public holiday to observe the Isese Day, a period fixed for August
Legit.ng journalist Ridwan Adeola Yusuf has over 9 years of experience covering public affairs and governance.
Ibadan, Oyo state – Other things being equal, governors of four southwest states will declare a holiday for all public servants and residents to commemorate the Isese festival.
Legit.ng reports that Isese Day is celebrated annually in Nigeria on August 20.
Photo credit: @LuckyAiyedatiwa
Source: Twitter
Isese Day 2026
In 2026, the day falls on a Thursday.
Isese Day is marked to honour and celebrate Yoruba traditional religion and culture. The day is observed by traditional worshippers who celebrate their deities through prayers, dances, and sacrifices.
The states expected to declare a one-day holiday for Isese Day are Oyo, Lagos, Ogun, and Osun.
Of the six southwest states, only Ondo and Ekiti do not officially recognise and declare August 20 as Isese Day holiday in their respective states yet.
Legit.ng reports that the Isese Day is the only public holiday that will be observed in August 2026.
List of states to declare public holiday in August 2026 below:
1) Oyo
In 2022, Oyo state traditionalists renewed their call for a public holiday to commemorate Isese Day.
While the state government did not officially declare a public holiday for Isese Day in 2022, Governor Seyi Makinde later approved August 20 as Isese Day and declared a public holiday for it in 2023.
2) Lagos
Like Oyo, Lagos began declaring a public holiday for the Isese Day in 2023.
This was after the Lagos council of Obas and chiefs wrote to the state house of assembly.
3) Ogun
In July 2023, the Ogun house of assembly passed a resolution, declaring August 20 as Isese Cultural Day in the state.
The assembly approved the motion, titled “H.R. No.008/OG/2023: Observation of Isese Day as Work-Free Day in Ogun state.”
The majority leader, Yusuf Sheriff, moved the motion, which was seconded by the minority leader, Lukmon Adeleye.
Most of the lawmakers, during the debate on the motion, said the resolution was aimed at propagating the rich culture and traditions of Ogun state, thereby preserving them for the upcoming generations.
They also stated that the resolution would go a long way in boosting tourism and the uniqueness of the culture and traditions of the state.
The following month, Ogun state, along with other southwest states like Lagos, Oyo, and Osun, celebrated Isese Day on August 20th, which was declared a public holiday.
Photo credit: @ifayemi
Source: Twitter
4) Osun
The government of Osun has been declaring work-free day to commemorate ‘Isese Day’ for over a decade.
In 2013, Osun state, under the then-governor Rauf Aregbesola, officially recognised Isese Day, designating August 20th as a public holiday for traditional worshipers, according to Guardian newspaper.
In observance of the Isese Day public holiday in Osun, all banks, government offices, and other establishments are usually closed.
Read more Isese Day
Osun declares holiday for PVC collection
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that the Osun government declared a holiday for public servants in the state to enable them to collect their permanent voter cards (PVCs), as the state intensifies preparations for the August 15 governorship election.
The directive comes as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) concludes the first phase of PVC distribution across the state’s 332 registration areas, with the exercise expected to continue at its 30 local government offices.
Source: Legit.ng