A Lagosian 'detty December': Where Culture Meets Celebration

The unique convergence of global holidays, the homecoming of the diaspora, and Nigeria's sheer population size distinguishes December in Lagos.

Other African countries enable similar phenomena, such as Ghana's 'Year of Return', summer in Cape Town, and the coastal season in Kenya, and yet, none quite match the scale of 'Detty December'.

This Pidgin phrase, coined by musician Mr Eazi - meaning to let loose and live it up - aptly describes this annual period of roughly six weeks in which Lagos becomes the temporary epicentre of Africa.

Over the past decade, cities like Accra and Lagos have experienced a surge in high-profile concerts, coinciding with the international rise of Afrobeats. Notable events such as the Calabar Carnival in Nigeria's Cross River State, dubbed 'Africa's biggest street party', and the Flytime Fest music festival in Lagos have significantly contributed to this cultural renaissance.

In Ghana, festivals like Afrochella now AfroFuture, and Afro Nation, which was first held in Accra in 2019, have drawn global celebrities like Steve Harvey, Lupita Nyongo, and Naomi Campbell, further elevating their profiles. Although this upward trend was briefly interrupted by the Covid-19 pandemic, it has since rebounded. Today, these cities sustain the 'Detty December' movement.