From fabulous office parties to concerts and of course, the outrageous traffic, we can agree that the festivities of Detty December are in full swing.
December, typically a time to wind down and celebrate the holidays, transforms Lagos into an even bigger tourist attraction. The city sees a high influx of people, including Nigerians from the diaspora, coming together for a season of parties, music and festivals.
While this has become a cherished norm over the years, hence the term “Detty December”, recent conversations on X (formerly Twitter) suggest that the hype around the holiday season in Lagos may be exaggerated, overrated and hyper-commercialised. Not to mention stressful for the regular inhabitants of the city. Here’s why;
Dealing with mind-numbing traffic
One constant part of the holiday season is that the dreaded Lagos traffic nightmare always worsens. With more people flying into the already congested city, traffic could leave you in the same place for hours, and a 20-minute journey turns into an hour.
The result is more lamenting from motorists and other road users who are already writhing in pain and counting their losses from losing so much time in traffic. No matter how excited you are for your event, your enthusiasm drops after spending a better chunk of your time in traffic.
Transport fares get ridiculously high
Knowing that most people want to be “outside,” ride-hailing platforms like Uber, Bolt, and inDrive have increased their prices, making it difficult for the average Lagosian to afford transportation.
While bus fares are cheaper, may not be as comfortable or as fast since ungovernable drivers and bus conductors stop every few minutes to pick or drop off passengers. Then there’s the added layer of buses being scarce at odd hours, making cabs the safer or often, only way of getting to one place from another.
Everything is ten times more expensive
Lagos, Nigeria’s commercial capital, is already the most expensive city to live in. However, inflation tends to hit a new high in December, and this can be loosely linked to the influx of tourists who come to experience the thrill of Detty December with their foreign currency.
From ridiculously priced show tickets to eating out, parking tickets and accommodation options, nothing is affordable. Additionally, the experience isn’t often worth it.
Higher chances of heartbreak
Trying to form genuine connections during Detty December is like trying to get from one side of Lagos to the other quickly during rush hour. Impossible. The emotional cost of participating in the month’s activities is not rewarding. Everyone wants to have a good time, and for many people, that does not include finding love.
If you don’t mind the crowd, the inflated prices, the risks, the traffic and other logistical inconveniences that make Detty December more work than fun, then you can make the best memories.
And if, like me, you’ll be outside of Lagos enjoying peace, quiet, and clean air, you can unwind with these movies.
