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New Year is one of the major festivals in Nigeria. Being a Christian country, New Year is celebrated with great pomp and splendor in the country. The New Year traditions in Nigeria provide a deep insight into the varied tradition and culture and bring out the vivacious atmosphere of the country.
New Year is celebrated by thousands of people in Nigeria. People irrespective of age, castes and creeds take pat in the New Years celebrations. Lots of celebrations are held according to the New Year traditions in Nigeria.
One of the main traditions in Nigeria is to offer prayers at midnight. People gather at churches and cathedrals at the stroke of the hour and offer their prayers for a fruitful and lucky year ahead. Offering prayers is supposed to be auspicious as it brings prosperity in the coming year. After the prayers, people offer wishes and greetings among each other.
New Year is time for entertainment and celebrations in Nigeria. One of the major New Year traditions in Nigeria is masquerades. People, mostly men, dress themselves as
prominent human or animal features and dance on the streets. The masquerades are performed to bring happiness, dive away evil forces and spread the message of love, hope and peace in the coming year. In the rural areas, the Ikegi Masquerades are performed by the Igbo tribal communities. Ofirima is another well known Nigerian masquerade. In this masquerade, the tribes are dressed like fishes and perform various dances. Another tradition is that while dancing, the dancer is not allowed to open the mask. The mask is supposed to prevent evil spirits from striking the mind and the body. In addition to the masquerades, lots of cultural functions are held in Nigeria. Local and traditional performances like rural dances juggling, archery, and lots more are held in small towns or villages.
Shopping and dining are other popular New Year traditions in Nigeria. A number of shopping malls, departmental stores and supermarkets offer rebates and discounts on various items. The restaurants and dining hot spots serve wide range of special delicacies to mark the occasion. Local people as well as tourists come to the bars, pubs and night clubs to enjoy a fun filled evening.
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