But this year, the holidays are bare-bones. Dressed in a T-shirt, the public relations consultant has ceded stylish clothes for more affordable hobbies, she said, as she moves between her couch and bed reading books and catching up on movies she missed during the year. For many, basic amenities are now out of reach, forcing them to forgo meals, let alone recreational activities.
Two in three families go hungry, according to the Nigerian Bureau of Statistics. Festivities are popular in cities and towns across Nigeria, with small street carnivals, communal festivals, food and fireworks taking centre stage in many places in December. Restaurants are usually booked out, the beaches filled and concert venues packed. At its peak, the clubs remain in action for 24 hours a day. Historically, December, which is packed with important holidays, has always been a time of fun and rest.
Since , entertainment avenues have expanded even more. Music played a big role in this, explained OluwaMayowa Idowu, a Lagos-based cultural connoisseur who runs a company focused on African culture and entertainment. Artists would also target December for the release of their major projects, with concerts, festivals and shows specifically lined up for the holiday period as promoters quickly caught on.
In the years that followed, top artists, like Burna Boy and Wizkid, would hold concerts in December, drawing crowds to the festivities. But many see a change this year, with many big acts not joining in on the action. Every year, IJGBs make a trip back to Nigeria to partake in the festivities and feel the pulse of the season. This December, year-old Valerie Eguavoen is among the members of the diaspora back in Lagos to satiate an overwhelming desire to be home and spend time with family and friends.
Early in the year, she started making plans for her trip, also inviting a few of her friends along. Lagos is already bustling. But it comes into full force in December β with roads, especially on the affluent island, regularly blocked and traffic at a standstill for hours.
