…Pray for peace, unity and prosperity of Nigeria
…Declare Ekiti ancestral home of major Yoruba deities
By Victor Ogundipe and Kehinde Ajayi
It was a spectacle of prayers, chants, drumming and traditional spirituality at the Fajuyi Pavilion, Ado-Ekiti, on Thursday 20 August as hundreds of Olorisa and adherents of Yoruba traditional religion gathered to celebrate the 2026 World Isese Day.
And they did not come merely to dance.
In a dramatic prayer session, the traditional worshippers invoked blessings on Nigeria, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Governor of Ekiti State, Mr Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji — while raining torrents of traditional curses on individuals they described as enemies of the country’s progress and those allegedly working against the developmental efforts of the President and the vision of the Ekiti State Governor.
The colourful celebration, which attracted about 700 participants and guests, featured well over 500 white-clad Olorisa, Isese evangelists, traditional priests and devotees drawn from different parts of Ekiti State.
The gathering was held under the leadership of the Oba Ala-Agbaiye Worldwide, Oba Olorunfemi Barry Oshadahun, who led the adherents in celebrating Yoruba indigenous religion, spirituality, culture and heritage.
One after another, leaders of Isese organisations from the different local government areas stepped forward to offer prayers.
They prayed for the peace and unity of Nigeria, good health, wisdom and long life for President Tinubu, and sound health, wisdom and divine guidance for Governor Oyebanji.
They also prayed against violence, insecurity, economic hardship and every force capable of disturbing the peace and development of the country.
At intervals, the prayers gave way to pulsating traditional drums.
The worshippers formed circles, sang indigenous songs, danced and returned to prayer — turning the Fajuyi Pavilion into a colourful arena of Yoruba spirituality and cultural expression.
But the prayers also carried a stern edge.
The Olorisa jointly invoked traditional sanctions against those they said were deliberately working against projects and programmes capable of improving the lives of Nigerians.
They similarly prayed against anyone seeking to frustrate the developmental agenda and peaceful atmosphere being promoted by the Oyebanji administration in Ekiti State.
The practitioners maintained that their gathering was not directed against any individual, political party or religious group, but was a spiritual appeal for good governance, peace, development and the triumph of good intentions over destructive tendencies.
Speaking at the event, Oba Oshadahun described Ekiti State as one of the most important spiritual and historical landscapes in Yorubaland.
According to him, several of the most revered Orisa and indigenous spiritual traditions of the Yoruba people have strong historical roots in communities located in present-day Ekiti State.
He cited Ifa and Orunmila traditions associated with Ado and Usi-Ekiti; Osun traditions linked with Igede-Ekiti; Ogun with Ire-Ekiti; and Osanyin and Esu traditions associated with Ijelu-Ekiti.
Oba Oshadahun said these traditions should not merely be viewed from a religious perspective but should also be properly researched, documented and projected as important components of Yoruba history, cultural identity and heritage tourism.
“Ekiti is enormously blessed culturally and spiritually,” he said.
“We have communities that are deeply connected with some of the most revered Orisa known throughout Yorubaland and the world. These are histories and traditions that should be preserved and passed to generations coming after us.”
The traditional leader expressed delight that Ekiti joined Isese adherents across Yorubaland and the diaspora in marking the annual celebration.
According to him, the gathering demonstrated that adherents of traditional religion could come together peacefully to pray for their leaders, their communities and the Nigerian nation.
“We are happy to join our brothers and sisters across Yorubaland and across the world in celebrating Isese Day.
“Today is not only about worship. It is about our history, our identity, our heritage and our responsibility to pray for the peace and progress of the society in which we live,” he said.
He added that traditional religion teaches respect for nature, elders, community values, truth, justice and peaceful coexistence.
Oba Oshadahun called on Nigerians to respect one another’s faiths, stressing that religious diversity should never become a source of hatred or division.
He said adherents of Isese would continue to pray for President Tinubu, Governor Oyebanji and other leaders entrusted with the responsibility of moving the country forward.
The Isese leader also commended the Ekiti State Government for creating an atmosphere in which cultural and traditional expressions could thrive peacefully.
He noted that Ekiti possesses enormous untapped potential in spiritual and heritage tourism, adding that sacred groves, traditional festivals, ancestral sites, indigenous knowledge and the histories surrounding the Orisa could attract researchers, culture enthusiasts and visitors from different parts of the world if properly documented and packaged.
The Director-General, Ekiti State Bureau of Tourism Development, Wale Ojo-Lanre, Esq., who witnessed the celebration, described culture and indigenous heritage as important components of Ekiti’s tourism assets.
He stressed the need to preserve authentic traditions while presenting them responsibly as tourism products capable of attracting visitors and creating economic opportunities for local communities.
According to him, tourism recognises the diversity of human culture and experiences, and Ekiti’s traditional festivals, sacred landscapes, food, music, dance, history and indigenous knowledge constitute valuable assets that can contribute to the state’s tourism economy.
Also present at the celebration were the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Arts, Culture and Creative Economy, Prince Banji Adelusi, Mr Gbenga Sodeinde, traditional leaders, cultural enthusiasts and representatives of various Isese groups across Ekiti State.
Beyond the fiery prayers and invocations, the dominant message from the Fajuyi Pavilion was one of peace, unity and religious accommodation.
The worshippers danced in circles, prayed together and celebrated their heritage with drums, chants and songs.
For several hours, Fajuyi Pavilion became more than an event ground.
It became a meeting point between faith, culture, history and tourism — as hundreds of Isese adherents proclaimed one message:
May Nigeria be peaceful.
May its leaders have wisdom.
May Ekiti continue to prosper.
And may those working genuinely for the development of the people succeed.