Kunle Adelabu
The Executive Chairman, Igbogbo/Bayeku Local Council Development Area (LCDA), Omoo’ba Hammed Olalekan Aroyewun (HOA), has said that the traditional institution is a sacred institution that is very much deserving of protection and sustenance.
Aroyewun, who joined the Adeboruwa of Igbogbo, His Royal Majesty, Oba (Barr.) Semiudeen Orimadegun Kasali, Emugoriade I, his chiefs, traditionalists and residents at the celebration of the 2025 Isese Day held at the Adeboruwa palace on Wednesday, said that the annual Isese Day offered the people the opportunity to celebrate, offer prayers, unite and means of further protecting their culture and tradition.
In commemoration of the annual day, various traditional groups in Igbogbo Kingdom, staged procession round the Igbogbo township earlier in the day.
The procession terminated at the Adeboruwa palace where they gathered to offer prayers for leaders, Igbogbo/Bayeku LCDA, Lagos State and Nigeria in general.
Prayers were also offered for Oba Kasali and his chiefs during the celebration, with different groups paying homage to the Adeboruwa. There were also displays by masquerades which added glamour to the traditional gathering.
“Our traditional institutions must be protected. It is a sacred institution that needs to be protected.
“It is a day that we celebrate every year to appease the gods and to preach peace and unity to our people, and to seek blessings and advice ourselves about living in unity, peace, tranquility.
“It is also about protecting our heritage, culture and protecting our traditional institutions which is very germane. So, it is a yearly celebration and we have to celebrate it”, he said.
He assured of his administration’s support and collaboration with the traditional institution in Igbogbo/Bayeku LCDA.
“From my background, I have been trained to protect the institution. I was born into royalty, so, there’s no doubt and we have always been collaborating even before I became the chairman and we have always been working in unity to promote peace, unity and whatever that would bring progress and development to our domain.
“My charge to them is to be morally upright and continue to promote anything that would bring peace and progress to our people”, Aroyewun charged custodians of traditional institutions.
Oba Kasali, in his royal remarks, again, expressed his appreciation to the government for declaring ‘Isese’ Day as a pubic holiday, a day which he said affordsĺ practitioners to gather happily and offer prayers.
“Let me us this opportunity to first of all thank the Lagos State Government for listening to the yearnings of the traditional institution and consenting to the demands to be given a day like this to gather together and offer prayers to the land, and you can see from the crowd that the opportunity given to them is well accepted, because all of them are gathered here to offer prayers for the land, Nigeria, Lagos State, Mr Governor, his deputy and all other officers of the state, and they also prayed for Igbogbo, all the Obas, Baales, and chiefs.
“They also prayed for peaceful coexistence in Nigeria, and we believe that with what we have been able to offer here as prayers, things would begin to turn around for us in Nigeria.
“It is our belief that we all have a responsibility and roles to play on our path to make Nigeria a better place to live, and from what we have been sharing, I have experienced some prayers here today and we believe our ancestors will listen to us and accept our prayers and things would begin to turn around for us”, Oba Semiudeen said.
Odofin Tajudeen Ogunsanya, the Odofin of Igbogbo Kingdom, also thanked the government for the day, while stating that it makes traditionalists and residents excited to honour their cultural heritage.
“If you look around, you would see how people are happy, both male and the female. Kabiyesi is happy to see everyone in the community, and we feel highly excited, especially for the holiday given by Lagos State Government under the leadership of Governor Babajide Olushola Sanwo -Olu.
“We are very grateful to him for giving us the holiday that we have been agitating for long, and you can see us all gathered here and by the grace of God, he (Governor Sanwo-Olu) will not fail.
The prominent community leader urged government to continue to support the traditional institution because of its importance and scared duty.
“Yes, we will continue to tell the government to give us their support to uplift the traditional institution and to do more, because it is tradition first before any religion. Tradition is the foundation because other religions came out from tradition and by that, they should allow tradition to flourish”, Odofin Onasanya charged.
Joining the Adeboruwa and the council chairman at the celebration were Omooba Jokotex, Olootu Omooba Ogbonyari, Shagamu, Prince Kazeem Ogunmuyiwa, State NULGE Trustee, Mr Shakiru Seidu, former Chairmanship aspirant, Igbogbo/Bayeku LCDA, Mr Abayomi Adelakun, former Chairmanship aspirant, Igbogbo/Bayeku LCDA.
Also at the celebration were various traditional groups and masquerades such as Babalawos, Awo Opa, Eleluku, Wompara, Asogun, Agemo Felewa, Ajefote, Mole Isheri, Lire, Mole Iwagun, Oloro Abosan, Oloro Meri, Oloro Olu – Odo, Olosha General, Oritoke Olosha, Osa Aje, Igufolami Olosha, Oniyewa, Oshatade, Isegun Eweje, Isegun Ewegbemi, Aborigine, Alaija, Isegun/Ewedola, Zangbeto, Onigunu, Turupu and Elegun among others.
