Hundreds of Dogs Go Traditional at 2023 Lagos Dog Carnival

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A dog lover fixes the cap of her dog, dressed in the Igbo chieftaincy outfit at the annual Lagos Dog Carnival, with the theme "Wazobia", in Lagos, Nigeria December 9, 2023. REUTERS/Vining Ogu

It was all excitement and laughter in Nigeria when pet owners gathered and paraded their canines dolled up in various cultural and traditional attires at the Lagos Dog Festival over the weekend.

In what can be described as one of the rarest events you can find on the African continent, the Lagos Dog Festival is already in its fifth year.

Nigeria has been embroiled in ethnic and tribal conflicts during the past years and the need to acknowledge and embrace the country’s cultural diversity is the reason for the canine festival. This is emphasised by the chief organiser of the Lagos Dog Festival, Jackie Idimogu.

“We have gone through a lot this year. We had our elections where it seemed Nigerians wanted to pick sides because of ethnicity. Because of that, we decided to use the Lagos Carnival 2023 to celebrate the togetherness of Nigerians. To celebrate that Nigerians have different tribes, different cultures but we are still one,” she outlined.

The dogs at the carnival could be seen rocking outfits from the Yoruba, Igbo, and Tiv among other tribes in Nigeria.

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