- Title: Nigeria's nightlife dwindles amid coronavirus restrictions
- Date: 29th May 2020
- Summary: TIMELAPSE OF NIGHT FALL IN LAGOS ROAD SCENES (SOUNDBITE) (English) HYPE MAN, SENSEI UCHE, SAYING: "It's been weird because for me and for everyone in the line of business that I am in also, our lives were turned upside down like literally, just turned upside down on its head. Now, we have to start thinking if this will become our reality, if the partial re-opening will bec
- Embargoed: 12th June 2020 09:40
- Keywords: Club Coronavirus Lagos Nigeria Nightlife
- Location: LAGOS, NIGERIA
- City: LAGOS, NIGERIA
- Country: Nigeria
- Reuters ID: LVA005CFZFTXZ
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:Sensei Uche has earned a living for the last three years in Nigeria's entertainment capital Lagos by tapping into his exuberance. Standing alongside a DJ in bars and clubs, he is a "hype man" whose job is to make people dance.
But the coronavirus pandemic has cut off his source of income. Nigeria's government, like others across the globe, has shut bars, nightclubs and restaurants since late March to curb the spread of the virus.
"It's been weird for me and everyone in the line of business that I am into, our lives were turned upside down like literally, just turned upside down on its head. Now, we have to start thinking if this will become our reality, if the partial re-opening will be what we have to be dealing with every weekend," said Uche.
Like entertainers worldwide, he has begun plying his skills online. Wielding a microphone, he works alongside a DJ playing music for "isolation parties" at weekends. The party-goers are the 1,000 people who typically watch the videos posted live on Instagram of the DJ.
But while the online parties keep his brand alive, he is unable to monetise them.
Party lover, Nonyelum Onwuha who watches Sensei's isolation party online every friday says she misses the club scene.
"I miss going out when I want to, I miss partying when I want to.I miss hanging out on with friends for a couple of drinks when I want to, because right now everyone is restricted, you can't go to public places of more than 20 people."
Most Nigerians are lovers of celebration known for throwing boisterous parties and consumption of high-end alcohol brands worth thousands of dollars.
As its population grows, the country's growing middle class and elite circle aspire to attain maximum entertainment but this lifestyle has been hampered by the new coronavirus keeping Nigerians home.
The problem is shared by bar and club owners.
Rotimi Kuti, is a representative of the Cubana Group, a network of clubs in five Nigerian cities.
The club, in the Victoria Island business district of Lagos, usually hosts around 700 people on Friday nights. But since Lagos imposed lockdown measures in late March, Kuti's business only makes money from food deliveries.
He is hopeful that the situation for the entertainment industry will improve, be it through the easing of restrictions prohibiting gatherings of more than 20 people in Lagos being eased, or support for businesses.
"Lagos is not complete without its nightlife scene, its big, its even much bigger than the Cubana group a whole lot of other businesses that complement or contribute to the GDP (Gross domestic product) of the state, through events, nightlife, concerts and the rest of it so I think, the state is bleeding money, the businesses are bleeding money so everybody will come to a compromise as how to help to make sure we are not keeping people unemployed." he said.
Uche is hopeful too - but he is looking for a medical breakthrough.
"If we don't find this vaccine on time, this business is going to suffer, it really is, people are already suffering so that's my biggest fear I just hope we can find a vaccine in time so we don't make this the new normal." he said.
(Seun Sanni, Angela Ukomadu, Nneka Chile) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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