By Folake Ajao
Since its inception in 2018, HOMECOMING™ has stood as a cultural lodestar, providing an intersection for music, fashion, art, and sport to collide in reflection of the pulse of a new generation of Africans. While the entire ecosystem of HOMECOMING™ is vibrant and multifaceted, there is one facet that has consistently carried its soul: the stage. Over the years, it has played host to several unforgettable performances that have been raw, resonant, and rooted in youth culture and identity.
These performances are cultural flashpoints, a blend of magnetic presence and power that stayed long after the lights dimmed and the music stopped. Here, we revisit some of the most defining performances in HOMECOMING™ history.
Wizkid (2018): A Return Fit for Royalty
In HOMECOMING™’s inaugural year, it was only fitting that one of Nigeria’s most influential acts would welcome the new festival. Wizkid, fresh off a series of global collaborations and chart-topping anthems, returned to Lagos in a moment that felt less like a performance and more like a coronation. Sharing the stage with Skepta, he reminded the world that Afrobeats was now a global sensation. It was a reunion of worlds (diaspora and home), set to the sound of “Soco,” “Ojuelegba,” and an audience that knew every word. At that moment, Wizkid wasn’t just performing. He was anchoring HOMECOMING™ as a home for global African excellence.
Rema (2019): The Arrival of a New Era
The energy in the air changed the moment Rema took the stage at HOMECOMING™ in 2019. At the time, he was a young artist on the cusp of something monumental, riding the global wave of his infectious hit track, “Dumebi.” The performance marked his first-ever appearance on stage, and there was something profoundly symbolic about the homecoming stage serving as a launchpad for his rise to global superstardom. His performance was kinetic, unfiltered, and full of youthful audacity. Every jump, every note, every beat was a statement: the next generation was here, and it was represented by Rema.
Sho Madjozi (2019): A Celebration Across Borders
That same year, Sho Madjozi brought something beautifully different. With her bright braids, Tsonga heritage, and magnetic charisma, she delivered a performance that was joyful, unapologetic, and rooted in her culture. Her hit track “John Cena” was sung enthusiastically, but it was her presence–colourful and commanding–that truly captured the crowd. Her set was a powerful reminder that Africa is not a monolith, and in celebrating her story, Lagos hosted a celebration that paid homage to the continent’s diversity.
Central Cee (2022): Bridging The Streets from London to Lagos
In 2022, Central Cee’s performance brought a new kind of energy to the HOMECOMING™ stage. With his UK drill cadence and quiet intensity, he represented a totem of black diasporan influence returning to engage with the motherland. Songs like “Doja” and “Obsessed With You” found resonance with a Lagos audience, proof that authenticity, wherever it originates, always finds a home in Lagos. It was a performance that spoke to a global audience, one united by shared youth, struggles, stories, and rhythm.
Black Sherif (2023): Spirit in Sound
Few artists embody angst the way Black Sherif does. When he stepped onto the HOMECOMING™ stage in 2023, it felt like a whirlwind of intense emotions was let loose. His voice, gravelly and raw, carried weight. His performances of “Second Sermon” and “Kwaku The Traveller” hit like the gospel, eliciting a passionate rendition from the audience. It was not just a performance, it was vulnerability mined into sound. A cross-country connection between Ghana and Nigeria, his set reminded all present that the African experience, though varied, is united in its power.
