Nigerians have expressed their displeasure at the timing of the Oro festival in Lagos, scheduled from August 1-15.

This period coincides with a planned nationwide protest against economic hardships under President Bola Tinubu's government.

The festival was announced in a notice to Lagos residents on Wednesday, July 24, 2024.

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

The announcement comes just days before planned protests by Nigerian youths from August 1 to August 10.

These protests aim to voice grievances about bad governance, inflation, insecurity, fuel price hikes, and rising food prices.

Nigerians on social media believe the Lagos State government is using the Oro festival to diffuse the upcoming protest.

In 2023, ahead of the governorship election in Lagos State, the Oro Festival was similarly announced, with protesters criticizing the timing as a strategy to prevent voters opposed to the ruling party from freely voting for their candidates.

Here are some reactions to the current Oro Festival announcement:

@YeleSowore: The “Oro Festival” is about witnessing a REVOLUTIONARY transformation; it is about seeing a real Festival - the Festival of the Oppressed! #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria #DaysOfRage #RevolutionNow

@SelomSarl: Big news! The Yoruba Oro festival is joining forces with protesters in Lagos and Oyo State to demand better governance! From August 1st to 15th, expect nightly rallies from midnight to dawn, all leading up to a massive call for change. It's time to make our voices heard and end bad governance in Nigeria! #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria

@JubrilZakariyau: Oro Festival in a cosmopolitan area. You think Oro can stop what bullets couldn’t?

@Tooshugary4U: Lagos people no just get peace, from one inconveniences to another

@h_sinner001: Lagos oro only comes out during elections and protest

@ChuksEricE: Oro festival on every eke market day, during election Oro festival, make u nah try get sense Ronu.
Nigerians are familiar with this yeye game

@ayemojubar: The Lagos Yorubas are turning their deities into political tools just because of someone like Tinubu. Even Oro itself would flee in the face of the people’s resistance.

@ayemojubar: Even your Oro will carry placards that day;

@Lolacozy_: Oro as how. Why august 1st

@CletusNwafor: No amount of oro festival will stop an idea whose time has come. We're familiar with this oro game used to rig Tinubu into office. Nigerians together are poised to #EndBadGovernmentInNigeria

@steveabbey_: Since them no fit use gun scare people, dem wan try ritual

@IPrinceSaviour: No problem, they’ll join the protest against bad governance in Nigeria

@AbiodunSanusi01: No oro ceremony will stop Nigerians from protesting in Lagos State or anywhere else in Nigeria. Nigerians will storm the streets of Nigeria from August 1st to August 10th and beyond, and there’s nothing the APC or President Tinubu can do about it. #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria