My cousin, someone an average Nigerian would snidely dub an I Just Got Back (IJGB) person, found true love when he visited the country with his twin brother for his first-ever Detty December celebration.
In December 2022, we were at the Muritala Muhammad Airport in Ikeja, Lagos state, to pick up my twin cousins who left the motherland since they finished their secondary school programs in the early 2010s. For almost a decade, they didn’t visit the country as they had to round up their programs abroad, find a job, and possibly acquire necessary permits as they gradually transitioned through life. Interestingly, life got better for both my cousins, and after several years abroad, they finally bought into the Detty December hype. Let’s see what it has to offer.
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Of course, upon getting home, everyone was excited to see both my cousins. It’s been almost a decade, a decade away from family, friends, culture, and familiar environments. My cousins have spent numerous years trying to embrace new cultural values and ideologies, while in Europe, they needed to learn a new language (or languages), adjust to the cold weather, and deal with seasonal depression. They left Nigeria at the age of 16, returning in their mid-20s. Life is different now, and trying to catch up with the decade that they have been unavoidably absent from their home country.
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Most of their childhood friends have moved on with their lives, becoming parents, hustling in different parts of Nigeria, and engaging in various phases that life has brought their way. In Nigeria, there is no such thing as a summer holiday; therefore, the only reasonable time to visit Nigeria is during the festive season in December, and they grabbed these opportunities vivaciously.
My cousins wanted to catch up with everything that Nigeria had to offer during the Detty December felicitation in 2022. From attending wedding ceremonies of relatives whom they haven’t been in touch with for years to embracing the wild nightlife in Lagos. They wanted everything, and they got everything that they wanted.
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Family Reunion
My cousins reunited with several other family members they hadn’t been in contact with for a long time. The festive season provided my cousins with the opportunity to rebuild estranged relationships and become cordial once again; further, they met with friends from secondary school who happened to still be in Nigeria. They discussed plans, goals, and objectives, and explored various methodologies for establishing a strategic, symbiotic relationship.
My cousins weren’t in Nigeria to show-off or disclose how much cash they’ve acquired over the years; they simply wanted to have a good time with old friends and reconnect with familiar faces.
Balling and Wild Nights in Lagos
Of course, as an adult, everything wouldn’t be coy and demure; there were days my cousins needed to embrace the epicureanism of the Lagos nightlife. Hedonism is an element of Detty December. We engaged in vile activities that could coerce Google to flag this article; therefore, we would keep it PG and keep things on the surface level.
We engaged in various activities such as clubbing and attending wedding ceremonies, house parties, and paintballing, among several other things. Interestingly, one of my cousins would meet his life partner at one of the outdoor events, more on this shortly.
How Detty December Gave My Cousin a Lifetime Partner
In 2022, Asake was the breakout star of the year, and everyone wanted to watch him perform. My cousins disclosed that they have always loved Asake’s music and have anticipated watching him perform live; therefore, Asake is on our bucket list during this festive period. After surfing the internet, Asake was scheduled to perform at Landmark Beach on Monday, December 26, 2022. Excitedly, we acquired our tickets and prepared to turn up and have a good time.
On the evening of the music concert, my cousins and I went to Spurs restaurant, a restaurant in Ikeja, with some of our friends to get something to eat and drink. As we were waiting for our order to be served, my cousin, Taiwo, saw a caramel-complexioned lady walk into the scene with a group of friends. He had an immediate interest in the fine young lady, so for my cousin’s sake, we invited the ladies to join our table and enjoy the rest of the evening with us.
Thankfully, the women were cordial and were open to enjoying our company. Subtly, my cousin began to engage in small talk with his love interest. Afterwards, we headed out to watch Asake perform his hits from his debut studio album, Mr Money With the Vibes. Simply put, it was a great show.
After the concert, we headed to a high-profile club to spend the rest of the night with the female friends we made earlier; meanwhile, my cousin was firmly engrossed with his love interest. They went on a date afterwards and promised to build something worthwhile with her as the days transcended.
Against all odds, my cousin and his love interest would eventually walk down the aisle in 2024. Today, they have a family and reside outside Nigeria; their love story started courtesy of Detty December.
Conclusion
Big thanks to Detty December for helping my cousin find his lifelong partner. Should my cousin not have had any reason to revisit Nigeria, he wouldn’t have found his lover; therefore, good vibes and entertainment are two of the most essential elements of the human experience. Like my cousins, Nigerians in the diaspora need a good reason return home and celebrate the Christmas holiday with members of their family, friends, and acquaintances.
Also, it is an opportunity to reconnect with the African culture and values without losing the fundamental elements instilled from a tender age. A time to enjoy Nigerian dishes, attend events, and reconnect with old friends from over the years.
In conclusion, annual festivities of Detty December bring blazing lights, pounding music and a spike in prices as one of the world’s biggest parties unfolds in nightclubs, bars and streets.
