If you live in Nigeria, you might feel like every day is a scene from a horror movie, but without the costumes and with many unexpected plot twists. Halloween, a contraction of All Hallows’ Eve, is observed on October 31, the night before All Saints’ Day, where people in other parts of the world intentionally scare themselves.
Last Halloween, curious journalists hit the streets to ask random Nigerians why they don’t celebrate Halloween, a holiday that the rest of the world has turned into an excuse to dress like serial killers and eat copious amounts of candy. Nigerians, however, seemed baffled by the whole concept.
Here’s what they had to say:
-Isaac (3 years): “Personally, I do not know what Halloween even means or why people get frightened on that day.” (The press was briefly speechless at the eloquence of a three-year-old but also concerned that he might be smarter than half of the journalists present.)
-Kome (99 years): “Nigeria is a very nice place to settle in and have some fun. I have lived 99 years in Lagos, and I have enjoyed every moment of it. Naija to the world! As for Halloween, I don’t know what that means.” (She was clearly engaging in some form of self-deception. Ninety-nine years in Lagos? Fun? Not even the devil celebrates that long in one location.)
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-Victor: “Why Nigerians don’t celebrate Halloween? From the moment I was born I suspected I was born into a shithole. I could feel a certain kind of impending doom. When I was three, I saw my first dead body (‘First’ indicating he had seen many more). A man had been murdered and his brains spilled out. Not many adults have seen this at their old ages. You ask why we don’t celebrate Halloween. That’s because the country is already scary enough. Everyday I pray to the good God that created me to take my life.”
These responses highlight a few key reasons why Halloween isn't widely celebrated in Nigeria:
- Lack of Familiarity: Many Nigerians simply don't understand what Halloween is or why it's celebrated.
- Different Cultural Context: The daily realities of life in Nigeria can be challenging, making the idea of intentionally seeking out scary experiences seem unnecessary.
While Halloween is gaining more popularity worldwide, it remains a foreign concept to many in Nigeria, where everyday life can be more than frightening enough.
Dear Nigerians: Are we "Halloweeners"?
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