Isese Day: Yeye Olatunji Urges Kwara Govt To Declare Public Holiday

A traditional worshipper of Obatala based in Ilorin, Yeye Ajesikemi Olokun Omolara Olatunji urged Kwara State Government to declare public holiday for traditional worshippers to celebrate Isese Day.

Yeye Olatunji made this call in an exclusive interview published by Vanguard Newspaper on Saturday.

The embattled traditional worshipper who currently facing resistance from Ilorin Emirate leaders over her plan to hold Aje Olokun festival in Ilorin.

Recall that Spokesman of the Emir of Ilorin, Mallam Abdulazeez Arowona, had said that the Emir and the palace are in support of an Islamic group ,”Majlisu Shabab li Ulamahu Society” that stormed her resident and warned her not to hold any traditional religious festival in the Kwara State capital.

The priestess reportedly released fliers announcing a three-day traditional event aimed at celebrating Olokun festival in Ilorin.

Speaking on the event, she is an Obatala worshiper and planned to celebrate Aje Olokun festival in Ilorin.

She told Saturday Vanguard that “Well, i have planned to celebrate the annual Aje Olokun festival. I’m a member of the Kwara state Association of Traditional religion otherwise known as Isese. This is an association of people practicing traditional religion.

“We planned a three day event to celebrate the traditional religion festival between July 22 to 24. It is not a secret thing that we want to do. It is a get together party in which we want to give recognition to some people who live within and outside the country. It is not a secret thing and that is why we want to do it at an Event center.”

In her words: “The government should treat them equally so that peace will reign. There should be no preferential treatment of one religion over another. The government should accord traditional religion public holiday.

“Government should grant public holiday to Ifa festival day (Odun Ifa) or Oke Itase. It should accord recognition to the traditional religion worship.”