Nigerians love to celebrate, especially with family and friends; we prioritize family, togetherness and community spirit, this makes occasions and events very popular. It is a culture to celebrate and party, that’s how ingrained it is with us as Nigerians.
While celebrations are not new in Nigeria, the most popular ones are celebrated on weekly basis. Hardly will any week go by without one of the following occasions taking place.
That’s why in this post, Lucy presents the top 5 events popularly celebrated in Nigeria.
5 Events Popularly Celebrated in Nigeria
What are they?
- Naming Ceremony
- Burial Ceremony
- Weddings
- Birthday Party
- House Warming
Let’s dig in.
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Naming Ceremony
The birth of a child usually brings joy and happiness not only to the parents, but also to family and friends within the neighborhood. A naming ceremony is a popular event usually held in Nigeria to celebrate the arrival and naming of a new baby.
This sort of celebration has been around and there are no legalities involved with naming. It is more about the recognition of the gift of life and the miracle of birth as well as the blessings it brings to couples.
This special event is always celebrated more as a party rather than just a ceremony. In a typical naming ceremony, the highlight includes activities such as thanking God, naming the child, playing music and dancing, eating and other merriments.
Apart from the merriments, one important aspect of Nigerian naming ceremonies, especially to the parents is receiving of gifts. Monetary gifts as well as other items needed by the baby are given to the parents by guests.
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Birthday Party
Celebrating birth itself and the joy of life is a popular event in Nigeria. Birthdays such as 1st, 5th, and 10th are considered special events for kids. And for adults, the special birthdays are 21st, 40th, 50th and 60th.
A birthday is a time where the celebrant is thankful for his/her life and what they have accomplished. On these birthdays, parties which have up to 20 guests or more are celebrated. It is usually the occasion for rejoicing and feasting.
For the celebrants, the highlight of their birthdays is the birthday gifts people bring for them. Guests are also rewarded for grazing the occasion with some event souvenirs often branded with the picture of the celebrant.
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Wedding Ceremony
Weddings in Nigeria, is one of the most popular and ceremonious event that everybody looks forward to. It happens amidst friends, families and well wishers.
A wedding is easily the most memorable day in the life of any couple. It is the coming together of a man and a woman to be joined permanently in life, provided they love each other.
A Nigerian wedding takes three to four different stages, from the formal introduction, to the paying of dowry, traditional marriage where every member of the family, extended family and friends are invited.
The white wedding happens to be the final stage of marriage. Not to mention the wedding reception, a party held after the completion of a marriage ceremony. This is held as hospitality for those who have attended the wedding and where food and drinks, a wedding cake and entertainment are provided by the couple.
A major highlight of Nigerian weddings is the couple’s dance when they are baptized with money being sprayed on them by guests. Followed by this is the presentation of gifts from guests to the couple. In most cases, this is when the wedding souvenirs are shared to guests on behalf of the couple.
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Burial Ceremony
The next popular event in Nigeria is burial ceremony. Burial ceremonies are always themed “Celebration of Life” where family, friends and well wishers come together to mourn and give their final wishes to the dead.
Burial ceremony is always seen as a tradition that is supported by all members of the society, with foods and drinks served, music played, people dance and in some cases, the coming out of masquerades.
As part of the celebration of life, family members create customized T-shirts with the picture of the deceased to wear during the wake-keeping night or burial day.
Other customized gifts and souvenirs often used during burial ceremonies include notebooks, plastic cups, plates, trays, etc. these are shared to guests in appreciation for the support.
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House Warming
Building a house in Nigeria is a big deal. That’s why people celebrate the opening of their houses, especially when completed. Family and friends come over to welcome you into your new house and warm it up to a home.
Besides the initial opening prayers, most house warming ceremonies don’t follow any laid out pattern. The host are free to proceed as they deem fit. Since it is a joyous celebration, guests are often appreciated with branded souvenirs for coming.
This is perhaps the only occasion in Nigeria where the guests don’t give monetary gifts to the host. But of course, they will be dancing and spraying of money on the side!
Conclusion
No matter how popular these events are, celebrations play an important role in our lives. Without celebrations, we can’t enjoy this life fully. To help make your events more memorable, order your event souvenirs from Lucy.ng