In a move to foster religious harmony, the Acting Governor of Oyo State, Barrister Bayo Lawal, has called for unity among various religious associations in the state, particularly the Isese practitioners.
Addressing the traditional worshippers at the grand finale of the 2024 Isese Day held at Lekan Salami Sports Complex, Adamasingba, Ibadan, Lawal emphasized the importance of peace and unity in ensuring security and the preservation of cultural heritage.
“The government of Oyo state under GSM calls for cooperation between religious groups be it Muslims, Christians and Traditional worshippers and we are grateful for the peace we have seen so far as a government. In 2023, during our campaigns for re-election, Governor Seyi Makinde promised to ensure that there will be a special day for Isese worshippers to celebrate the traditional culture. Standing on that promise, we declared August 20 a public holiday, and that is why today, Tuesday, is declared a work free day for Isese Day celebration.
“Isese Day isn’t just for culture but for entertainment as well. It has been celebrated between the zones of the state including; Oyo, Ibarapa, Iseyin, Ogbomoso and Oke-Ogun. We carried it around the zones to awaken us so that our cultures and traditions since extended don’t go extinct and it won’t, with our efforts.” Lawal stated.
The acting governor recognized the efforts of the organisers, especially the Isese practitioners and the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, for their role in making the annual celebration a success.
He assured the Isese worshippers that the government would continue to accommodate all religions and ensure the preservation of the state’s cultural heritage.
“Today, on behalf of our governor, I assure the Isese practitioners that we will accommodate all religions no matter how they wish to practise it in the state because our culture is our heritage. We shouldn’t allow the culture to be mismanaged,” Lawal said.
He emphasized further that cultural events like Isese Day are tantamount to revenue generation and security in the state, due to the tourism aspect of it, which the current administration under Omituntun 2.0 is focusing on.
“We are grateful that we didn’t just bring the culture today, there is income revenue tied to it, even down to the people that sold pure water. We are grateful that from 2019 till today, most of our tourist destinations like Iyake, Ogbomoso, Oke’badan, we prioritise, spend money and effort on it. That is why the Olatubosun is going on to ensure the culture is upheld in the state. Under Omituntun 2.0, it isn’t just agriculture, we aim to develop tourism and culture in the state to bring revenue to the state that caters for all. We did the Sango festival which has been declared by UNESCO and has been listed as among festivals in the world. We had international representatives present.
“Under GSM we have made provisions to ensure that residents are safe in each community that they are in. The provision of security is the primary duty of the government so in all the zones of the state, we have secured our people and properties so that everyone will be free to practise religion.”
On his part, the state Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Dr. Wasiu Olatubosun, appreciated the governor and the Isese adherents for making the event possible.
The highlight of the festival included performances, parades, and the presentation of certificates to the participating zones.
Ogbomoso emerged the first, followed by Oke-Ogun and Oyo zones respectively.
Isese Day is celebrated every August 20, this year’s edition was a ten-day celebration, held in collaboration with the state Ministry of Culture and Tourism and Heads of Traditional Religion Oyo State (HTRO) in the state.
It is a part of the Oyo State government’s efforts to develop tourism and culture, contributing to the state’s socio-economic growth and sustainable development.
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