In Nigeria, festivals are a way of celebrating our culture. Before the introduction of television and streaming, festivals were occasional social events people looked forward to meeting up with people and sharing an experience. If there is one thing you need to know about Nigerian festivals, it is that they are always colorful. Right from the outfits down to the activities, you get to see a whole lot of people dressed in their different attire, repping their respective culture and doing the most to promote their culture and heritage.
Given the diversity of ethnicities in Nigeria, there are several festival celebrations that are tied to different things. Some could be tied to the prosperity in agriculture, hence the yam festival. A means to give thanks for a fruitful season in harvesting. Another could be a festival to the gods or deity as a means of saying thank you for their protection of its people and land. These festivals all have something in common, and that is they are heavily tied to tradition and culture. Through these festivals, it is the best way to see the people in their traditional rights and get a feel of what it is like to belong to a group. For others, it can be a way to learn more about the people of a given ethnic group.
Aside from the preservation of culture and heritage, there is something else that comes with these festivals, and that is preparation. A lot of preparation is made in advance for the festival, way before the event day. Sometimes, even months, depending on how big the festival may be in the town. Arrangements for the events lead people to take leave from work, make arrangements to see long-distance family relatives, as this is the best time to meet them after years of being apart. Tailors get super busy because of the numerous attire they have to make for the event. The markets within the community where the festival will take place become super busy as people start their buying for the event, and others come in from other towns just for the festival. There is a whole lot more that goes into the planning of a festival, more than the ones I have mentioned.
A unique differentiator for Nigerian festivals has to be the attire, food, music, and drinks. We Nigerians strive on these things. It is no longer about the food, drink, or music, and do not confuse it with thinking it is just food, attire, music, and drinks. No, it is not. It is one of the best ways we represent our culture. Due to the diversity in ethnicity in Nigeria, every ethnic group within the country takes it upon itself to present its culture in the best way possible, and what better way to do so than with cloth, food, music, drinks, and dance.
This tends to bring colour to the event as you get to see different styles from people. A group example is the Ojude Oba festival. You just Google the festival, and you will see a ton of pictures that make my point. Nigerians take this as the best opportunity to throw a fit, and do not even get started with the different delicacies of food that are present at a festival. Food is another way we use to represent our culture, and then we finish it up with our dance and music. A Nigerian festival is one to look forward to, and that is why it is still one of the best tourism events in the country. Do not overthink it when you get invited to a Nigerian festival. Say yes faster than you can and come have the time of your life.
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