by Chinazam Ikechi-Uko
Lagos has officially become recognised as a party capital on the global scene. Its “Detty December” season has caught the attention of publications like Financial Times, BBC, and CNN. These reports often discuss a handful of areas in Lagos; Ikoyi, Victoria Island, and Lekki are fan favourites, with Yaba thrown in occasionally. But there’s more to Lagos than that…
Somewhere between the young adult symposiums, Ikeja, and Festac, is the internet favourite Ikotun. The internet’s obsession with Ikotun began with the phrase, “I don’t want to die in Ikotun.” A phrase used as a metaphor for “I want the finer things in life.” Like Lana Del Rey dissing an ex on a song, the phrase manages to surmise the entirety of people’s feelings towards Ikotun, it’s their trench, and something they must escape. The Sien Street Jamz aimed to reframe this, and against all odds, it did.
ABOUT SIEN STREET JAMZ:
The month of August seems to have a penchant for wet days. We are only five days in, and the city of Lagos has become unrecognisable with floods and puddles riddled at every corner from the island to the mainland. This marked the second dent in Sien Essien’s plan to host a party on August 2. The first dent was, are the party kids of Lagos going to book an hour-long ride into their ‘beloved’ Ikotun?
“I don’t want to mince words; there’s not a lot happening in Ikotun. No one wants to die here; it’s their trench, but it’s also their reality, and there’s more to life than trying to make it. There are actually living it,” the 22-year-old, founder of Street Jamz and established content creator, Essien says. The name he calls himself is Sien, just Sien, and over time, that’s what everyone calls him.
A one-name moniker, also known as a mononym, is closely associated with prominence, as it’s used by royals in conjunction with their titles and given to famous individuals. Beyoncé, Wizkid, and Sien, all mononyms, and all keen on uplifting their hometown. “I want to change Ikotun, both the way it’s perceived and its reality. I have so many ideas, but let’s start here. Let’s get the party people to party in Ikotun.”
His hopes for Ikotun reflect the recent zeitgeist in Ikotun; due to social media, many of its residents have an awareness of Lagos that’s not quite the Lagos they know. Nedu*, 24, similarly expresses, “It is easy to give up and just accept that you are not going to make it out. It is the defeat that truly hurts. Everywhere in Ikotun, I see people who feel hopeless. They once had dreams, too. They have plans too, but no idea how to implement them or how to connect to the right people.”
Sien acknowledges this, but his unabashed love for Ikotun leads him to want more for his hometown. By more, he means exposure. For all its aspirations to be a modern metropolitan city, Lagos has its share of cracks, and these cracks are deepening each year. In simpler terms, there’s a fancy side of Lagos that fears its surrounding areas. This fear was highlighted in a two years old campaign titled Ikoyi is under Siege. The viral video, which aimed to protect Ikoyi from the “encroachment” of poor people, actually targeted the staff of Ikoyi residents.
Sien would like to see Ikotun under attack by the upper echelon; it’s a solid way to connect the divide. “It’s like that festival where Lana Del Rey fans were scared when Ken Carson came to perform after her set.”
This push to create a crossover between the upper echelon and trench is what inspired Sien to start Sien Street Jamz.
WHAT WENT DOWN AT THE SIEN STREET JAMZ:
The skies are clear, and so is the road. It took islanders roughly two hours to arrive at the Princess Margaret Farm for the event. It was an awakening for the Lekki dwellers, realising that for people like Sien, constantly coming to the island is a dedication… one that costs in the dozens.
The party plays into the biases of what a trench is in Lagos, an underdeveloped and traditional place. This means stamped handkerchiefs are given at the entrance upon presentation of a ticket. Past the ticketing table is the food table, where you can find palmwine, abacha, and Sien customised Lacocos.
There are bouncers all around, subconsciously subduing any security fears of the attendees. The next line of defence was the “Dare to Live” pull-up challenge, where digital creator Bidemi Popson gives you lots of money if you can do the highest number of pull-ups. You don’t have to do pull-ups for 5 minutes; you just have to make sure no one can…
Eventually, a winner emerged, a lady who lasted a minute and some seconds. Speaking to the winner, she revealed she’d like to stay anonymous, “I want the money, so I don’t want to motivate the men once they discover I am holding the record.”
In the end, it seems the pull-up challenge had psychological tests too. The entertainment at the front served as a warm-up. The true fun was just a few steps away. The DJs played hit tracks from home and abroad, as well as dances that have dominated Nigeria over the years, including shoki, bobo, and more.
The DJs kept the crowd dancing for hours until the main guest of the night showed up. In a black ensemble, fish nets and furry boots to complete it, Grammy-nominated singer and producer, Bloody Civilian had the crowd screaming. She performed unreleased songs and hosted dance competitions.
Bloody Civilian had held an Atlas weight of marketing the street jamz, from dining #IHATELEKKI shirts to reposting promotional materials across her social media. Many were called, but many were here for Bloody Civilian, and she came with a famous friend, rapper and fashion influencer, Deto Black.
Deto Black equally dressed to match Bloody Civilian and incorporated fur into her face cap. She partied with the rest of the cool kids who also dressed in style. From duck hats to McBlings, the typical partygoers of Lagos showed up and explored the possibility that Ikotun could be the next entertainment centre.
One of these partygoers was Duru, 24, a member of Ugly Naked People, a group gaining traction on social media for its lifestyle and the vibrancy it brings to events. Always open to spotting the next big party, Duru expressed his thoughts on Sien Street Jamz, “My favourite thing about street jamz was having fun with my family, meeting new and beautiful people and witnessing the support the underground and alternative creative scene has for each other, loved the turnout.”
The turnout surprised even Sien. He held the Sien Street Jamz against all odds and hoped to redefine the narrative surrounding Ikotun, bridging the gap between the “trench” and the glamorous side of Lagos.
By doing so, Sien has showcased the potential that lies beyond the city’s typical hotspots. As the party wrapped up, it was clear that Ikotun is ready to carve its own identity, inviting both locals and outsiders to experience its unique charm and spirit.
Perhaps, with a consistency of initiatives like this, Ikotun can develop this identity and serve as an alternative for kids tired of the island facade, a downtown New York to its Uptown. It’s probably a lot easier to convince people to come to Ikotun, after all, if Bloody Civilian and Deto Black could, why can’t you?
