Fun facts about a typical Nigerian event, that will interest you

Did you know that a typical Nigerian event, no matter what is being celebrated, whether it’s a birthday, wedding, commemoration, anniversary, etc., is a vibrant and dynamic gathering that showcases the rich cultural heritage and diverse traditions of the Nigerian people? especially the food, clothes, and music.

According to google.com, it is home to over 200 ethnic groups speaking over 500 languages, weaving together unique varieties of cultures, art, music, films, fashion, and food to behold. Indeed, it is a country filled with fun loving people who love to distinguish themselves with their food and what they wear.

So, come with me and let me show you some amazing facts you need to know about a typical Nigerian event.

The food found in a typical Nigerian event

A typical Nigerian event is known for its delicious and diverse cuisine. As a matter of fact, one of the most enticing factors in most indigenous events is the food. In other words, a Nigerian event without an “item 7” will never be interesting to the attendees. Well, just to get you up to speed about item 7, it’s a colloquial name given to food time in the sequence of events program.

Delectable traditional and Western dishes of all sorts are featured at these events. They range from the various kinds of rice dishes, such as the Party Jollof rice unique to Nigeria, which is easily distinguished by its aromatic flavour and taste; the fried rice; the coconut rice; the Ofada rice that comes with its unique kind of sauce; and the list goes on.

Most interestingly, there is a category of dishes called “swallow,” which is an interesting combination of certain types of moulded dishes accompanied by soups made from very tasty and delicious ingredients of local origin.  Some swallow dishes may include, but are not limited to, pounded yam and any kind do soup of your choice, be it egusi (melon soup), okra, vegetable, or bean soup. Others may include Eba and any choice of soup, Towo Shinkafa, Amala, and any choice of soup.

The special fun part that may interest you is that, in a typical Nigerian event, dishes are not complete without the accompaniment of a protein sources, which could be fish, meat from the cow, goat, poultry, or bush.  More interestingly, the size and quantity of meat that are given to the attendees show the level of respect or status accorded; it implies that the bigger the size or the more of the meat, the higher the status of the attendee and vice versa.

The clothes (attire) for a typical Nigerian Event

Another amazing aspect of a typical Nigerian event is the attire they wear. This is one area where they show their pride and their rich culture. Nigerians are very fashionable and have successfully created a niche for themselves as a leading fashion icon in Africa.

In a typical Nigerian event, revelers seem to use it as a rare opportunity to adorn themselves with the latest fashion styles in town; however, this depends largely on the tribe or ethnic tribe involved. Nonetheless, Nigeria’s dress sense is commendable, especially for partygoers

You might want to know that the latest fashion for partygoers may include the dressing style called the Niger Delta, a dressing pattern that emanates from the south-south geopolitical zone of the nation. Another is the Agbada and the Sokoto for the males and the Iro and the Buba for the females. which is very common to the people of the South West zone.

The most interesting part of the dressing style is the headgear that is worn by both the men and women. They are usually used to compliment or complete the dresses being adorned. For instance, the Agbada and the Sokoto should be worn with a cap known as Fila, or else that dressing style is never complete.

On the other hand, the head gears worn by the women are always the point of attraction. These are normally stylish, gaily, and gorgeously adorned. They appear in different shapes and sizes and are baptized with different interesting names, such as Canopy, Asko, etc. However, the most popular name for it is “Gele” borrowed from the Yoruba dialect, a language widely spoken in the southwest part of the country.

What about the Aso Ebi? The typical Nigerian event or celebration will not be complete without ‘aso ebi’. Its interpretation simply means a common or uniform fabric won by family members and well-wishers, It is usually adorned to show solidarity or raise funds to support the celebrant. However, Aso Ebi has recently gone beyond well-wishing; it is now a great way to add colour and glamour to the celebration.

The Music and the dance in a typical Nigerian event

I bet you can’t beat Nigerians on this. In a typical Nigerian event, after the food, music and dance are the next major aspects of engagement with the attendees. The entertainment is most often provided by live bands or DJs, who ensure there are no dull moments and that guests are kept up dancing the entire time, although this is based on the traditional background of the celebrant. They could be local or urban, based on the organizer’s budget. Sometimes, a DJ and a stand-by live band can be invited jointly to play carefully selected genres of music that will be preferred one after the other.

Trust Nigerians with different kinds of dance steps, which are based on the genre of music predominant at the event. For instance, it is expected that the fuji or Juju genre of music will most likely be played at events organized by the typical Yoruba tribe, while Highlife or Ogene music might be played at events organized by the Igbo-speaking tribe.

Spraying Money in a typical Nigerian event

Spraying money is almost a sure thing to happen in a typical Nigerian celebration. It entails appreciating or felicitating with the celebrant, by spraying currencies around or on the celebrant. Most often, this happens when the celebrant is dancing. In another instance, money is not only sprayed on the celebrant, it is also sprayed on the musician performing at the event.

This is triggered by the praise singing, offered by the musician. The musician simply calls the names of the VIPs and embellishes their names and status with good deeds and perhaps their achievements. Consequently, the VIP is moved to do the spraying.

Conclusion

In conclusion, a typical Nigerian event is vibrantly decorated with delectable food varieties, gorgeously dressed attendees, the ever-enigmatic sound of afro-pop, and other various music of choice based on the attendees and their traditional background.