The Lagos State Government has assured the Association of African Traditional Religion, Nigeria and Overseas, Lagos State chapter, that it has not forgotten the practitioners’ request to declare August 20 as a public holiday in their favour.
The Special Adviser to the Governor on Tourism, Arts and Culture, Mr Solomon Bonu, disclosed this when members of the group visited his office in Alausa, Ikeja.
He described the group as promoters of the indigenous cultural heritage of the state.
Bonu pleaded with the members to allow the state government to follow the due process before acceding to their request, considering the legal implications of making such a declaration without due diligence.
“You know that it is a matter of law; even the House of Assembly has deliberated on this same issue which attests to the fact that the approval is not such that can be solely granted by the executive arm of government,” he added.
Earlier, the President of AATREN, Chief Olusegun Elegushi, presented the request for approval of August 20 as a public holiday the same way faithful of other religions enjoyed public holidays, arguing that the denial of a single day as public holiday out of 365 days in a year was not fair to the traditionalists.
Source:- Punchng
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