The Association of African Traditional Religion Nigeria (AATREN) has called on the Lagos State Government to set aside August 20 of every year as Isese Day.
Isese Day is also known as traditional worshipers’ day.
Chief Olusegun Elegunshi, AATREN National Chairman, made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on Tuesday.
Elegunshi, also the Opemoluwa of Ikate land, Lagos, expressed disappointment that the demand had been pushed forward for long without any result.
He, however, urged the state government to grant the request as the day would not only be celebrated as Isese Day but dedicated for national prayers.
“This nation needs lots of prayers, we want Isese Day so that traditional worshipers can have a day to themselves to render prayers to God for the progress of the nation.
“We want August 20 to be declared as Isese Day, it should be observed as a public holiday like the Christians and Moslems have their days during Christmas and Id-el-Malaud celebrations.
“We have made this demand to Lagos State before our counterparts in Osun made theirs but unfortunately, they got approval before us.
“We want the Lagos State Government to take us seriously this time and ensure our request is granted,” he said.
Elegunshi said that traditional religion should not be seen as fetish as it was the religion practised before the advent of Christianity and Islam.
On insecurity, Elegunshi urged the Federal Government to ensure full implementation of local government autonomy to tackle the challenge.
He said that the chairman of each local government should be made responsible for the security of their areas because they know the localities very well.
He noted that the local governments would be in the best position to identify miscreants and hoodlums within their areas and curb their activities.
“I believe the security challenge we are faced with in this nation can be tackled when the local government is granted full autonomy to work.
“Each chairman of the local governments should be made responsible for all crimes committed in their localities,” he said.
Elegunshi added that this was because the chairmen knew their localities well enough to curb crime within them. (NAN)
