“No Oro ceremony will stop Nigerians from protesting” Nigerians react to announcement Oro festival will hold from August 1-15

Nigerians are reacting after it was announced that the Oro Festival will be held from August 1 to August 15, coinciding with the period some groups reportedly plan to hold #EndBadGovt protest.

The festival was disclosed in a notice to Lagos residents which went viral on social media on Wednesday, July 24.

The notice read, “Please be informed that the Oro Festival will be observed in various communities across Lagos from 1st of August to August 15. This traditional Yoruba cultural event involves significant rituals.”

This comes just days after some groups announced that they will stage demonstrations across states in the country from August 1 to August 10 to protest economic hardship in the country.

Nigerians on X are now accusing the Lagos State government of using the Oro festival for political purposes.

Recall that in 2023, ahead of the governorship election in Lagos State, the Oro Festival was also announced.

At the time, protesters slammed the timing and said it was strategically scheduled to prevent voters opposed to the ruling party from voting freely for candidates of their choice. 

See reactions to the current Oro Festival announcement below.