Homecoming has lived up to its name for the past eight years, serving as a nexus for Nigerians in the diaspora and those at home to connect through music, art, and fashion. As more young Nigerians shaping culture scatter across the globe, Homecoming has become an increasingly vital touchstone. That it happens during Easter weekend only emphasizes its significance.
Founded in 2017 by Grace Ladoja (MBE), Homecoming has become a staple on Lagos’ cultural calendar. The festivals, pop-ups, and talks are all highlights, but it’s the people who truly make Homecoming what it is. From the waves of stylish attendees to the established and emerging artists who take the stage, it’s undoubtedly the creatives—local and international—who breathe life into the event through interaction and creative exchange.
This year’s edition included a summit at the popular Ebonylife Cinemas, an art tour of studios and galleries, a rave featuring Lagos’ top DJs, pop-up shops showcasing the definitive Lagos brands of the moment, and a live show headlined by Afrobeats superstar Davido.
Art Tour
Homecoming opened with a tour of select galleries and visits to the studios of featured artists. The tour ran throughout the weekend, but I planned to attend just the first day as I had other commitments. I arrived early at the first stop, which also happened to be one of my favorite art spaces in Lagos—O’DA Art. But as I quickly remembered, in Lagos, arriving early doesn’t pay (in the famous words of a Nigerian icon, Bobrisky: “good girl no dey pay”), so I found myself waiting a while for the touring group. In the meantime, I struck up a great conversation with a young returnee and the curator of the exhibition—a showcase of the work of artist Soji Adesina, all pulled from the private collection of Professor Ebun Clark.
When the group finally arrived, it was a vibrant mix of Nigerian creatives and guests from Amsterdam and across Europe. We were treated to a talk by the founder of the gallery and viewed more work by Adesina, and then ushered to the other rooms where we got to see even more work not part of the exhibition. Our next stop was the personal studio of Mobolaji Ogunsoroye, whose work I first encountered at the most recent Art X Lagos. She walked us through her creative process, gave us a preview of upcoming work, and even introduced us to her dogs before we headed off.
My final stop of the day was the ever-iconic Nike Art Gallery. We were welcomed in true Nike Art Gallery fashion, complete with praise singers, and then led inside. The gallery was bursting with color; everywhere you turned, there was a painting playing with Lagos’ signature yellow in unexpected ways. We were shown works by Nike Okundaye-Davies herself before being allowed to explore. It felt like every corner held a piece layered in texture, cultural reference, and depth. A stellar start to the week.
The Summit
The Homecoming Summit was especially meaningful to me—not only was I covering the event, but I was also moderating a panel on archiving Nigeria’s musical history.
A delay in the day’s schedule meant my panel started later than expected, but the upside was I had time to explore other panels. In one room, I caught DJ Spinall, whose name I’ve known since secondary school, speaking on the power of brand identity. He talked about how something as simple as his signature hat makes him instantly recognizable in a crowded room of DJs.
Another standout session was hosted by The Native, featuring Seni Saraki, Fu’ad Lawal, Momo Hassan-Odukale, and Adetola Wahab. They discussed the cultural responsibility of magazines and the behind-the-scenes work—access, funding, and infrastructure—that make it all possible.
Soon, it was my turn to take the stage. Our conversation delved into the under-documentation of Nigerian music pre-1985, the risks that pose to the Nigerian canon, and the possibilities for future preservation.
Homecoming HiFi
As night fell on Day 2, all roads led to Homecoming’s rave: HiFi. Hosting a rave shows how well Homecoming has its finger on the pulse; rave culture has exploded in recent years, and the DJ lineup showed they truly get it.
Sons of Ubuntu? Aniko? Both are pillars of Lagos’ major rave scenes, and they brought the energy. Spinall and YANFFS also delivered memorable sets. But for me, the best part was the crowd—it felt like a true homecoming. Everywhere I turned, I saw a familiar face: an ex-colleague, a friend I hadn’t seen in months, someone I had just pregamed with. It was everything a Friday night rave should be: electric and alive.
Homecoming Live Show & Afterparty
By the time the Homecoming Live Show rolled around, you might expect some fatigue. It had been back-to-back events and parties. But the opposite was true. As I arrived at Harbour Point, it felt like all of Lagos was there.
At 11 p.m., I was finally let into the packed hall. The first highlight was Wanni X Handi, the Twin DJS—a duo who alternated between dancing and spinning tracks, making their set a joy to watch. Then came DEELA, a fast-rising afropop star whose performance of her viral hit “Patience Ozokwor” sparked wild excitement.
After a quick breather outside, I returned in time for Deto Black’s high-energy set. Curious to see what my VIP pass unlocked, I wandered into the VIP lounge, where the DJ was hitting even harder. I ran into more friends and spotted OdumoduBlvck (who was slated to perform later) having a great time right next to the DJ.
I spent the rest of the night bouncing between lounges until I got stuck for 20 minutes trying to re-enter due to the packed crowd. Still, I made it back in time to catch Davido’s headline performance—his first since releasing his new album, [add title], the Friday before. The crowd was deafening, and when he brought out OdumoduBlvck, it got even louder.
An epic end to a perfectly epic weekend.
