If you’ve ever stood in the middle of a Lagos traffic jam at 11:00 PM on a Tuesday, watching a guy hawk glowing reindeer ears while someone in the next car blasts Asake, you know. You just know.
“Detty December” isn’t a month; it’s a psychological state. It’s that feverish, beautiful, slightly chaotic window where Nigeria—specifically Lagos—becomes the center of the universe. I remember last year, my feet were literally throbbing after a three-day run of concerts, and I swore I was “done” with the outside. Ten minutes later, a friend called about an after-party in Lekki, and I was back in the car. It’s addictive.
Though Nigerian singer Mr. Eazi originally coined and popularized ‘Detty December’ as a hashtag for his 2016 ‘Life is Eazi‘ concert on Wednesday December 21, at the iconic Landmark Event Centre in Lagos. The term was officially trademarked three years later by industry leaders Darey and Deola Art Alade. By securing the trademark in 2019, the Alades recognized the commercial value of a festive phenomenon that had been a cultural heartbeat in Nigeria long before it had a formal name.