Student Engagement Ambassador, Adeorite, discusses how her family celebrates Christmas in Nigeria and reminisces about previous Christmases spent in Nigeria.
Christmas can mean multiple things around the world. For some, it is the celebration of the life of Jesus Christ, while for others it is the time to be close to the ones you love.
Today we are going to be discussing Christmas in Nigeria.
Nigeria is a country that is located in West Africa with a population of over 200 million individuals, where over 500 languages are spoken and the majority of individuals either identify as a Muslim or a Christian. So, as you can imagine, all these factors can influence what Christmas means.
As a Yoruba speaking, Christian, Nigerian, who lives in a city, I can confirm that Christmas is a family affair. It is a time where a lot of travelling takes place. There are usually two possible outcomes for what Christmas will be like: Either all family members (including external family members) congregate in one family members’ house or people who live in cities return back to the villages or towns where their grandparents lived or grew up.
It is a time to celebrate and unwind with those you love!
My favourite Christmas experience is from my childhood. We would leave the city I live in (Lagos) and go back to the village where our grandparents lived (Ile-Ife), to spend Christmas. It was the ultimate sleepover. Imagine about 50 family members in one location.
For some people, this may sound like a nightmare. But for me, this was a time to have fun with all my cousins, without my parents nagging me about homework that needed to be done or school books that needed to be read. We would go swimming together, attend events, play games, or discuss what we deemed to be important at that age. Such as what Alex did in the most recent episode of Wizards of Waverly Place.
Now that everyone is older and split around the globe. These are the Christmas memories I treasure the most, seeing as the likelihood of this occurring anytime soon is slim to none, with everyone in different countries to study or work.
I hope that this Christmas you are able to create long lasting memories that you can cherish for the rest of your life.
Merry Christmas!
By Adeorite Adele-Adewole