WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT ISESE FESTIVAL IN YORUBALAND - BY EMDEE DAVID
ARTICLES - Posted on: 22nd Aug. 2023 at 8:45AM
On the 20th of August 2023, Yoruba indigenous people celebrated the Isese Festival, a little-known festival among many Nigerians. Little or nothing is known about it and its significance. So many people wonder why some State governments made the day a Public Holiday for Civil Servants.
The Governor of the State of Osun, Mr. Adegboyega Oyetola has approved Monday 22nd of August, 2022, a public holiday in commemoration of this year’s “ISESE Day”.
The Lagos state government has declared Monday, August 21 a work-free day to commemorate the Isese Day celebration.
In a post on X — formerly Twitter — on Saturday, Jibril Gawat, senior special assistant to Babajide Sanwo-Olu, governor of Lagos, said the announcement was made in a circular issued by Hakeem Muri-Okunola, the state’s head of service.
He said the decision reaffirmed the governor’s “commitment to continue to provide the necessary support to traditional institutions in the state with a view to promoting our indigenous culture and tradition while preserving our heritage”.
The Isese festival, marked annually on August 20, is celebrated by adherents of the Yoruba traditional religion.
The day is commemorated by several processions and worships of the multitude of gods that make up the Yoruba traditional religion pantheon.
The festival has led to controversy in Ilorin, Kwara, in recent months. Traditional religion practitioners were stopped from celebrating the festival in the state after an Islamic group warned a priestess against holding the celebration.
Sulu Gambari, emir of Ilorin, had said the festival was cancelled “to prevent crisis”.
What is Ìsese?
In responding to the controversy generated by the declaration of ISESE public holiday, Mr Aderemi Ifaoneepin writes:
Ìsese simply means your source or the fountain or the beginning symbolised by your biological Father, Mother, Orí (Destiny) and Ikin (Ikin-Ifá) according to Odù Ifá Ògúndá ??w??nrín (Ògúndá-??rín)
Ifá says:
Òkun ?ú nàre nàre
???à ?ú l??gb? l??gb?
Alásán níí rasán
Níí s'Olúwo Ì?àn nílé ayé
Alásàn níí ràsàn
Níí s'Olúwo Ì?àn lóde ??run
Àw?n àgbà ìm??le ni w??n wò gb??yìn
W??n ri pé ò ?unw??n
W??n firungb??n díyà
W??n firun dímu pin pin pin
A dífá fún Ì????e tíí ?e olórí orò láyé
A bù fún Ì????e tíí ?e olórí orò ní ìwàrun
Bàbá ?ni
Ì????e ?ni
Ìyá ?ni
Ì????e ?ni
Orí ?ni
Ì????e ?ni
Ikin
Ì????e ?ni
Ì????e m??m?? làá b?
K'á tóó b? ??rì?à
The ocean in great expanse
The lagoon also in great expanse
Alásán níí rasán
The Babaláwo of Ì?àn on earth
Alásàn níí ràsàn
The Babaláwo of Ì?àn in heaven
The Islamic leaders foresaw the terminal end
The reasoned it is not good enough
They substituted their beards for the repose of punishment
They grew heavy beards blocking their mouths
Ifá divination was performed for Ì????e the leading ritual in heaven
One's father
Is one's Ì????e
One's mother
Is one's Ì????e
One's Orí
Is one's Ì????e
One's Ikin
Is one's Ì????e
It's the Ì????e one would first make offering to
Before making offering to Òrì?à
Certainly, Olódùmarè is Not Ì????e!
It is He, Olódùmarè (the Almighty Supernatural Force/Supreme Being) that created the
"Great Four Spiritualities" called or known as Ì????e.
Also, the Irúnm?l??s/Òrì?às (Deities/Divinities) are Not Ì????e!
It is through the N0 4 Ì????e (Ikin-Ifá) that you will know what your N0 3 Ì????e (Orí) has in stock for
you - what your destiny is all about.
And it is also through this same N0 4 (Ikin-Ifá); by performing Ifa divination that you will be guided,
and directed to the Irúnm?l??/Òrì?à that you are destined to be following as his or her Devotee and through whom you will be worshipping Olódùmarè.
And that Ì????e is the natural name of the faith or religion of the Yorùbá people
(across West Africa) that is anchored on Ifá (an esoteric language of Olódùmarè and
Divine Message of Life) brought to practice by ??rúnmìlà Bkk,araà mi Àgb?nnìrègún - the Deity
(Irúnm?l??/Òrì?à), and supported/assisted by other Irúnm?l??s/Òrì?às and Principalities.
Ì????e á gbè wá o ????
© Adér??mí Ifáòleèpin Adér??mí
This day, 20 of August, 2023

The Governor of the State of Osun, Mr. Adegboyega Oyetola has approved Monday 22nd of August, 2022, a public holiday in commemoration of this year’s “ISESE Day”.
The Lagos state government has declared Monday, August 21 a work-free day to commemorate the Isese Day celebration.
In a post on X — formerly Twitter — on Saturday, Jibril Gawat, senior special assistant to Babajide Sanwo-Olu, governor of Lagos, said the announcement was made in a circular issued by Hakeem Muri-Okunola, the state’s head of service.
He said the decision reaffirmed the governor’s “commitment to continue to provide the necessary support to traditional institutions in the state with a view to promoting our indigenous culture and tradition while preserving our heritage”.
The Isese festival, marked annually on August 20, is celebrated by adherents of the Yoruba traditional religion.
The day is commemorated by several processions and worships of the multitude of gods that make up the Yoruba traditional religion pantheon.
The festival has led to controversy in Ilorin, Kwara, in recent months. Traditional religion practitioners were stopped from celebrating the festival in the state after an Islamic group warned a priestess against holding the celebration.
Sulu Gambari, emir of Ilorin, had said the festival was cancelled “to prevent crisis”.
What is Ìsese?
In responding to the controversy generated by the declaration of ISESE public holiday, Mr Aderemi Ifaoneepin writes:
Ìsese simply means your source or the fountain or the beginning symbolised by your biological Father, Mother, Orí (Destiny) and Ikin (Ikin-Ifá) according to Odù Ifá Ògúndá ??w??nrín (Ògúndá-??rín)
Ifá says:
Òkun ?ú nàre nàre
???à ?ú l??gb? l??gb?
Alásán níí rasán
Níí s'Olúwo Ì?àn nílé ayé
Alásàn níí ràsàn
Níí s'Olúwo Ì?àn lóde ??run
Àw?n àgbà ìm??le ni w??n wò gb??yìn
W??n ri pé ò ?unw??n
W??n firungb??n díyà
W??n firun dímu pin pin pin
A dífá fún Ì????e tíí ?e olórí orò láyé
A bù fún Ì????e tíí ?e olórí orò ní ìwàrun
Bàbá ?ni
Ì????e ?ni
Ìyá ?ni
Ì????e ?ni
Orí ?ni
Ì????e ?ni
Ikin
Ì????e ?ni
Ì????e m??m?? làá b?
K'á tóó b? ??rì?à
The ocean in great expanse
The lagoon also in great expanse
Alásán níí rasán
The Babaláwo of Ì?àn on earth
Alásàn níí ràsàn
The Babaláwo of Ì?àn in heaven
The Islamic leaders foresaw the terminal end
The reasoned it is not good enough
They substituted their beards for the repose of punishment
They grew heavy beards blocking their mouths
Ifá divination was performed for Ì????e the leading ritual in heaven
One's father
Is one's Ì????e
One's mother
Is one's Ì????e
One's Orí
Is one's Ì????e
One's Ikin
Is one's Ì????e
It's the Ì????e one would first make offering to
Before making offering to Òrì?à
Certainly, Olódùmarè is Not Ì????e!
It is He, Olódùmarè (the Almighty Supernatural Force/Supreme Being) that created the
"Great Four Spiritualities" called or known as Ì????e.
Also, the Irúnm?l??s/Òrì?às (Deities/Divinities) are Not Ì????e!
It is through the N0 4 Ì????e (Ikin-Ifá) that you will know what your N0 3 Ì????e (Orí) has in stock for
you - what your destiny is all about.
And it is also through this same N0 4 (Ikin-Ifá); by performing Ifa divination that you will be guided,
and directed to the Irúnm?l??/Òrì?à that you are destined to be following as his or her Devotee and through whom you will be worshipping Olódùmarè.
And that Ì????e is the natural name of the faith or religion of the Yorùbá people
(across West Africa) that is anchored on Ifá (an esoteric language of Olódùmarè and
Divine Message of Life) brought to practice by ??rúnmìlà Bkk,araà mi Àgb?nnìrègún - the Deity
(Irúnm?l??/Òrì?à), and supported/assisted by other Irúnm?l??s/Òrì?às and Principalities.
Ì????e á gbè wá o ????
© Adér??mí Ifáòleèpin Adér??mí
This day, 20 of August, 2023
Posted by: Emdee David
You MUST be logged in to post comment(s)
Comments
No post comments available!