Lunar New Year : Nigeria begins early celebration in Lagos

Nigeria enthusiastically welcomed the early celebration of the Chinese Lunar New Year in Lagos, where crowds gathered to mark the first day of the lunar calendar. This event, also known as the Chinese New Year, is a major festival in Chinese culture, associated with many traditions celebrating spring.

Organized by the Chinese Consulate General in Lagos, the event attracted participants from various backgrounds, symbolizing the international spirit of the Spring Festival. Yan Yuqing, the Chinese Consul General in Lagos, emphasized that this celebration had become an international festival, as announced by the United Nations last year. She expressed joy in seeing people from around the world, including Nigeria, celebrating the New Year together with the Chinese community.

Mike Anjorin, an architect participating in the Lagos festival, shared his admiration for the Chinese celebration of culture. « They celebrate their culture, and through that, it keeps them together and makes them grow. We have abandoned our culture. A man who loses his culture is dead », he said.

In China, official festivities will begin on Saturday, February 10, 2024, marking the beginning of the Year of the Dragon in the Chinese zodiac. The celebrations will culminate with the Lantern Festival on February 24, signaling the end of the Chinese Lunar New Year festivities.