Isese Day: Islamic group backs traditionalists on demand for national holiday

A major Islamic group in the country,  the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC),  has declared its backing for calls by traditional worshippers urging the Federal Government to designate August 21 and 22 as public holidays in celebration of Isese Day.

The International Council for Ifa Religion had earlier appealed to President Bola Tinubu on Wednesday to recognise practitioners of traditional faiths by declaring the two days as national holidays.

In a statement issued Thursday, MURIC’s Executive Director, Prof. Ishaq Akintola, described the request as “just, legitimate and constitutional.”

“Traditionalists in Yorubaland marked the Isese Day yesterday, 20th August, 2025. They also used the opportunity to ask the Federal Government to declare every 21st and 22nd of August as national holidays.

“This demand is just, legitimate, and constitutional. So far as the other two religions enjoy the right, traditionalists also deserve it. Therefore, we have no objection to their demand.

“Islam teaches a philosophy of freedom of worship. The popular phrase ‘Lakun diinukunm wa liya diiin’, i.e. ‘For you is your religion, and for me is my religion’ (Glorious Qur’an 109:6) paraphrases the ideological stand of Islam on freedom of religion. We therefore declare loud and clear that we support the demand of followers of traditional religion for their own holidays to be known as Isese Day,” he said.

Akintola, however, warned that traditionalists must demonstrate respect for the fundamental rights of others and refrain from practices that infringe on individual freedoms.

“If the adherents of Isese religion (also known as traditionalists) demand the recognition or enforcement of their rights, they must first recognize and respect the rights of others. They must remove all the skeletons in their cupboards. They have come to equity. They must come with clean hands. They cannot eat their cakes and still have it.

“In which case all past infringements and encroachments on Allah-given fundamental human rights of others by the same adherents of Isese must stop. Put more succinctly, there shall be no more illegal curfews, no more unlawful restrictions of people’s movements particularly during Oro festivals, no more infractions on the rights of women, no more public flogging of innocent Nigerians by masquerades, no more killing of humans for ritual sacrifices, etc,” he said.

The MURIC leader accused some traditional groups of human rights abuses during festivals and criticised South West state governments for allegedly turning a blind eye to reported violations.

“We note with serious concern that some state governments in the South West have already recognized Isese Day by declaring yesterday, Wednesday, 20th August as a holiday. That was rather hasty. We are certain that it was done without consultation and without considering complaints of excesses and blatant impunity lodged by stakeholders.

“They have forgotten that peacebuilding is a collective affair. The impunity of the Isese group has continued ad infinitum because these state governments have never held the Isese group accountable,” Akintola said.

He cautioned that approving a national Isese Day holiday without safeguards could heighten religious tensions.

“We have shown our readiness to support their demand for Isese Day, the onus is on them to pledge to respect the fundamental human rights of others by stopping all their excesses.

“We advise the Federal Government not to grant their demand for Isese Day until they provide a written commitment on the above serial infringements. Isese Day: to be or not to be? That is the question. The ball is in Isese’s court.”