Comedian and actor, Yaw, has warned that Nigeria’s famed Detty December festival, which blends music, comedy, tourism, and lifestyle events, risks losing its cultural and economic impact if rising costs and unregulated pricing continue.
Speaking in an interview with ARISE News on Sunday, Yaw stressed that government intervention is needed to prevent the season from becoming unaffordable and to preserve its organic appeal.
He reflected on the evolution of Afrobeats, the rise of comedy, and the ongoing surge of the Dirty December phenomenon, cautioning that without oversight, the festival could lose its momentum.
“Over 300 percent. It’s bad. And then I think it’s both ways. You know, this whole Dirty December thing started organically and then it just started just like that,” Yaw said, highlighting the festival’s grassroots origins. “And then people just come here and then they just have fun and all of that. I think the state government also needs to come in in a way to help out because you rent a place for a night for 750,000 Naira for a night and then you are staying two weeks.”
He also pointed out how social media contributes to inflated costs. “And also I think it’s also those people that go on social media. Oh, I did my nails for just less than 40 dollars. Can you imagine 40 dollars in Nigeria? When you go, you fix your hair for less than 20 dollars. So when people started hearing this thing, oh, you actually fix it for 150 dollars in America… yeah, but when I get the money to pay. OK, but then it’s not it’s not good for us, too. It’s not good because it’s actually affecting everyone. I think the control needs to also come from governments to help us.”
Yaw further emphasised that government intervention is necessary to sustain the festival and prevent it from losing relevance to competing destinations such as Ghana: “If you do any of the e-hailing business and then you take a cab from somewhere to the next place, usually three thousand, four thousand. Now it’s like nine thousand, ten thousand. I think governments need to step in one way or another.”
The actor also discussed his upcoming end-of-year show with DJ Jimmy Jacks, called Rewind, which seeks to unite generations through nostalgic music. “For every December… the Gen Z’s, we always have places to go to just to have fun… We want to just listen to our own old school… That’s why we decided to come for the concert. We love the lyrics from the songs from these guys and all of that,” he said.
Yaw stressed that the show targets audiences aged 25 to 60, combining older hits with newer performers like Cynthia Morgan, while ensuring comedy and entertainment remain relevant to all generations.
“This jackpot thing is not just today. It’s been all this while. We’ve always liked to travel and everywhere we go we dominate,” Yaw said, underlining the enduring appeal of Nigerian culture and entertainment globally.
The comedian concluded that while social media and commercialisation have amplified Dirty December, careful regulation and planning are vital to sustain the cultural and economic benefits of the season.
Boluwatife Enome.
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