ISESE DAY 2025: OBA BELLO-LAWAL PRAISES GOVERNMENT FOR PRESERVING YORUBA TRADITIONS

CELEBRATES WITH PROCESSIONS ROUND THE TOWN

Story by Toyo C. Neem The Onisheri of Osheri Olofin, HRM Oba Ibrahim Olasunkanmi Lawal-Bello (Olanwa 1) has given praises to Governor Sanwo-Olu and his colleagues in the Southwest States for embracing policies tailored towards the preservation of Yoruba culture and traditions. He described the public holiday now accorded to Isese Day as a recognition of the significance of culture in the life of mankind.

These were contained in his statements while fielding questions in an exclusive interview with Civics Weekly magazine at his Palace yesterday in Isheri Olofin, a part of the conurmbations making up the Egbe-Idimu Local Council Development Area (LCDA) of Alimosho Local Government in Lagos State.

Being the first Isese Day he would be celebrating since he ascended the throne, he described it as an experience that gave him a feel of full responsibility to preserve the tradition of his forebears for the generations of Isheri Olofin yet unborn.

He said: "Being the first Isese Day I will be celebrating with my people since I ascended this throne, the experience it gives me is mostly a reminder of the full responsibility I carry to ensure the preservation of our culture and traditions for the generations of Isheri Olofin that will be coming after us. This is why I sincerely thank the Governor of our State, Babajide Olushola Sanwo-Olu, for giving a public holiday for this celebration.

"If I have to say it, I am indeed grateful to all the governors of Southwest for the holiday. This is because this is one way to speak a language of unity in the Yoruba nation. Together across our nation, all royal institutions are rallying their people to awareness that we are people with a past rooted in the way of our forebears. This is the significance of Isese Day we our celebrating today. The way of fore fathers from the origin of Yorubà race is our culture and traditions today, which we are reminding ourselves about through this festival".

The celebrations in the town started with the necessary "cleansing" customs through the eve night to early morning of the day. After a lull of rest, the celebration continued from about 2pm with the outing of His Royal Majesty from his Palace. His dance to to the "Gbedu" drum would seem to be a declaration of the fanfare open.

VIDEO OF THE OUTING OF ONISHERI FOR THE CELEBRATIONS From there, the processions round the community began. His Royal Majesty made it a duty to visit all the relevant landmarks, markets and the communal clans to personally pray and dance with his people in their respective localities. It was a long walk convering about 5kilometer stretch.

The processions terminated at the Olofin Grotto at about past 4pm, where prayers and offerings were made for further spiritual cleansing of the town. There, he received the Osugbo prossesions from the Idimu neighbourhood town.

The "Oluwo" (head of the Osugbo) specifically acknowledged that the coming out of His Majesty from the Olofin Grotto to receive them was a symbol of the monarch's humility and "symbolically a statement that your ancestors have destined your long reign on the throne".

Having completed all the needful customs to be performed, Oba Ibrahim Olasunkanmi Lawal-Bello again led the procession of his Council of Chiefs to the reception party ground at the Bacchus Park in Isheri Olofin Roundabout. The fun and and dancing continued till late night.