Isese Day: Adherents advocate traditional oaths for public officials

Traditionalists across Nigeria are strongly advocating for the use of traditional oaths for public officeholders.

This, they said, would curb corruption and ensure integrity within the political system.

They also sought recognition for the practices, including the establishment of a national holiday for Isese Day and the inclusion of African traditional religious studies in school curricula.

These were made known during the celebration of Isese Day, a celebration of Yoruba cultural and spiritual heritage, on Tuesday.

State governments in Yoruba-speaking states of Lagos, Ogun, Osun and Oyo declared August 20 as a work-free day, to celebrate the Isese Day, in line with the declaration by the United Nations, which set aside August 20 of each year as World Traditional Religion Day.

The celebrations also featured calls for government support and interreligious harmony to promote cultural preservation and social cohesion.

Speaking at the celebration of Isese Day in Akure, Ondo State capital, on Tuesday, the Araba Awo of Oke Agbe, Ayobami Ogedengbe, said political officeholders traditionally taking oaths would go a long way to add another dimension to the country’s political space.

Ogedengbe said the system would help restore sanity in governance, saying an average Nigerian or Yoruba man understood the implications and consequences of what would follow if he went against the oath he took before getting into office.

He said, “The system that we currently run in Nigeria has loopholes for one who is challenged as far as integrity is concerned.

“Our people know and understand that the gods uphold integrity and no Yoruba person will go against his or her oath before the gods.

“This will restore sanity to our system because an average African, average Yoruba man is scared of the consequences that will follow if you swear with Ogun (god of thunder) or any of the traditional means.

“They dare not swear to what they don’t believe in and swearing using the traditional means adds to the potency of African traditional religion and some of the mechanisms used as vehicles for the practice.

“The usual means of oath-taking with Bible in the Christian way and Quran in the Islamic way had failed to bring the best out of our leaders.”

The Araba Isese of Ondo State, Folorunsho Adetunji, called on the Ondo State government to set aside August 20 of every year as a holiday to mark the festival like other states in South-West.

He pointed out that the holiday would allow the Isese adherents to come together as an avenue to get closer to their creator and pray for humanity, Nigeria, Ondo State and their different households.

“Isese day celebration cuts across all traditional lines. The practice of Isese involves communication with ancestors and other spirits through prayer, offerings, and divination to help proffer solutions to the challenges confronting the country.

“We want to plead with the government of Ondo State to grant the traditionalists a public holiday and to give them a sense of belonging. This is to show us that we are not sidelined and to communicate to us that the government is fair,” he said

The Yoruba Council Worldwide has, therefore, called for the introduction of African traditional religion in the curriculum of primary and secondary schools across the country.

The President of the council, Oladotun Hassan, made this known in Abuja, on Tuesday.

Hassan said, “It is known that African traditional religion is the foremost human practice on earth, however, we are mindful of the heterogeneous state of affairs with diverse cultures and religions, hence the need to collaborate to use our culture and traditions to add value to nation building.”

He asked President Bola Tinubu to nationalise August 20 as a National Traditional Heritage Holiday and establish the National Traditional Religion Commission like the National Hajj Commission and Christian Pilgrims Commission.

Speaking on the celebration, the Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, commended the people of the southwest, particularly traditional rulers and religious worshippers, for upholding the cultural heritage of the Yoruba.

In a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr Gboyega Akosile, to commemorate Isese Day, Sanwo-Olu, who is also the Chairman of South West Governors’ Forum, commended his colleagues in the region for declaring a public holiday in their respective states for the celebration of the day

“The world has become a global village with an attendant result in multiculturalism, the Yoruba have unique culture and traditions that must be preserved for future generations.

“I commend all traditional rulers and people of the southwestern part of the country for upholding these cultural and traditional virtues of the Yoruba race.

“I charge you all to use the occasion of today’s celebrations to remind ourselves of the importance of the Yoruba Omoluabi ethos.

“These include tolerance, hospitality, peaceful co-existence among ourselves, different religious groups and our neighbours,” he said.

The Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, speaking at the celebration, said his administration would constitute an interreligious council with representatives of the three main religions in the state.

Adeleke said when constituted, the council would have representatives of Christians, Muslims and traditional worshippers as members and play advisory roles to the government on issues relating to the region.

Speaking at the Freedom Park, Osogbo, at a ceremony organised by the leadership of Traditional Religion Worshippers Association, Osun State, he said having an interreligious council was necessary to sustain the current harmonious relationship among people of different faiths in the state.

Represented by the Commissioner for Home Affairs, Mr Rasheed Aderibigbe, the governor harped on proper monitoring of various projects being executed by his administration across the state by the traditionalists and other residents.

“We are happy there is peace and tranquillity among followers of the three religions in Osun and we pray it continues that way.

“However, we plan to constitute a committee which will have representatives of the three religions.

“The committee, when constituted, will put thoughts and ideas together and serve as an advisory body to the governor on issues of religion. The committee will be constituted very soon,” Adeleke said.

Speaking earlier, TRWASO President, Dr Oluseyi Atanda, sought the support of the state government towards the completion of the association’s secretariat, adding that part of the secretariat was meant to generate revenue to fund the Education Trust Fund.

The Fund, he said, was designed to assist indigent brilliant traditionalists through tertiary education.

The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, represented by the Agboluaje of Agbaje-Ife, Oba Adekunle Adebowale and the Olowu of Kuta, Oba Adekunle Oyelude, implored the governor to ensure royal fathers play their statutory roles of culture preservation and protection.

The celebration had the parade of the orisas, interpretation of Ifa oracle messages for the state, lectures and cultural performances, amongst others.