Detty December (Nigeria)

This article is about Detty December in Nigeria. For the article that delves more into Detty December in Ghana, see Detty December (Ghana).

Detty December refers to the festive period at the end of the year in Nigeria, typically from mid-December through the New Year. It's a time of vibrant celebrations, social gatherings, parties, and festivities characterized by high energy, excitement, and optimism. It's a time when many Nigerians, both within the country and in the diaspora, return home to celebrate with family and friends.

Etymology and usage

The term Detty is a corruption of “dirty”, implying festivities and celebration with no hesitation during the Christmas and holiday season.

Origin

The origin of the term is unclear. Some people have claimed that the celebration started after the 2004 Calabar Carnival in South south part of Nigeria, which was called "Africa's biggest street party" by Ben Ayade, a former governor of Cross Rivers State. According to Nigerian magazine BellaNaija and The Guardian (Nigeria), the term was coined and popularized by Nigerian singer Mr. Eazi, who used it as a hashtag for his concert in Lagos in 2016. Mr Eazi also went on to trademark the term.

Events

Detty December is a term often used by members of the Nigerian diaspora who have recently returned home. These recent returnees are often nicknamed IJGBs, an acronym standing for I Just Got Back. The World Bank reports that remittances for the Nigerian diaspora during this period account for 4% of Nigeria's GDP, and show significant spending power when the expatriates come back home.

While Detty December is mostly associated with the cities, many of the returnees also use this opportunity to visit their countryside villages. Igbos refer to this as Nbịarute or ịlota ụlọ̀ (homecoming/Journeying home), during which close friends and families both from the diaspora and the cities specifically go home to their village countryside to celebrate the holidays and other festivals. However, it is crucial to highlight that Detty December primarily focuses on urban city visits by the Nigerian diaspora for festivities, contrasting distinctly with the situation in the eastern part of Nigeria, where the majority Igbo population often tend to vacate most urban city centers during December. Instead, they return to their countryside for celebrations such as family reunions and other festivities in the rural areas, creating a notable scarcity in most city centers in the east, unlike the concentrated city-centric nature which Detty December is known for. Lagos, a city with a rich history of Owambe and a thriving entertainment industry (being the home to the global music phenomenon Afrobeats) is often considered the face of Detty December.

Throughout this significant social calendar, a multitude of diverse events take place, ranging from house parties, street carnivals, beach hangouts to concerts, weddings, nightclub gatherings, and more. Among these, the December concerts stand out prominently as one of the pivotal events, drawing numerous musical artists and organizations to host performances during this period. Notably, these year-end concerts are not exclusive to renowned musical entities; various businesses, state governments, and even federal departments also curate concerts. This trend results in substantial earnings for Nigerian artists, akin to the magnitude of the Super Bowl, as articulated by Afrobeats star Davido. Moreover, the influx of the Nigerian diaspora back home during December prompts the staging of weddings, strategically synchronized with the congregation of friends and families for Christmas celebrations. These weddings often span entire days, culminating in lively after-parties.