The Nigerian Independence Day Parade NYC 2023 celebrates Nigerian culture and the contributions of Nigerian Americans.
The celebration includes a flag raising, parade, and cultural festival. There are Nigerian artists and musicians, home food, arts and crafts, and displays of traditional clothing and adornments.
Flag Raising
The flag raising is on Monday, October 2, 2023. 🇳🇬
63rd Nigerian Independence Day Parade NYC 2023
The 63rd Nigerian Independence Day Parade NYC 2023; marches down Second Avenue from 54th St to 44th St; on Saturday, October 7, 2023, at 10am. 🇳🇬
#naijaindependencenyc
Nigerian Independence Day Cultural Festival
The 63rd Nigerian Independence Day Cultural Festival is on East 47th St, between First and Second Avenues, in the Upper East Side; on Saturday, October 7, 2023. 🇳🇬
Performing artists include:
- Bad Boy Timz @badboytimz
- Sudxn @sudxnofficial
- Realm
- Okay Bomi
- Yahya Rich @yahya_rich
- Donna Adja @donnaadja
For more information, visit the organizer’s website oanweb.org or Instagram @oan_nyc
Nigerian Culture is Influential in the Americas
Nigeria has the world’s largest African population. The country has over 500 native languages, so there are many different Nigerian peoples. The culture of one people, the Yoruba, is one of the three African Diaspora cultural complexes that took root across the Americas; but famously in Cuba, Haiti/New Orleans, and Brazil. In Cuba, what we now call Yoruba (or Lucumí for the old Yoruba sacred language) absorbed the Dahomey and Kongo traditions.
Cuban Yoruba culture is what most Americans know as Yoruba. The traditions in the Americas are a little different than the original traditions in Mother Africa, but Nigerian culture is an important root of African American, Caribbean, Latin American, and American culture of the United States. B’rer Rabbit and Bugs Bunny are derived from old Yoruba stories.
Fela Kuti brought African Diaspora musical traditions of the Americas back to Nigeria and created afrobeat, an influential musical style that has evolved into afrobeats or African pop music. That’s some of the hottest urban music being made today.
The future belongs to the young. Nigeria has a young population, so the future belongs to Nigeria.