Owambe Parties

Owambe parties, are large grandiose parties usually thrown

by the yoruba race and people of Lagos descent (Eko). It involves a lot of food, dancing, loud music, and spraying (meaning the act of throwing money on a dancing person). If you ever happen to visit the southern parts of Nigeria and Lagos from Fridays through the weekends, you are bound to come across this interesting phenomenon popularly known as the ‘Owambe party’.

There are often numerous guests, and usually these guests are divided into groups according to their Aso ebi (uniform - some people might wear white and blue, some gold and red, etc). These parties take days and sometimes weeks and months of preparation, and have been known to block entire streets and roads, especially in Lagos, Nigeria.

‘Owambes’ (derived from a Yoruba word that means “we have it, so we can flaunt it”) usually happen during significant celebrative ceremonies such as weddings, society birthday bashes, burials, anniversary celebrations and sometimes at naming ceremonies. Owambe is deeply embedded in the culture and lifestyle of the eko people. Like a popular lagos phrase says "aint no party like a Lagos party."