As parts of the world celebrated Halloween on Friday, many Nigerians took to social media to dismiss the event, describing it as foreign, spiritually unsettling, and culturally irrelevant to the nation’s traditions.
A review of online conversations compiled by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) showed that most Nigerians view Halloween as incompatible with their religious and cultural beliefs.
Historically, Halloween traces its roots to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain — a pagan harvest ritual that evolved through Christian influence and later became a secular festivity, especially in Western nations like the United States.
But for many Nigerians, the idea of celebrating ghosts, spirits, or the underworld runs contrary to their values and worldview.
On X (formerly Twitter) and Facebook, several users questioned why Nigerians should adopt what they called a “Western invention” that conflicts with their faith and culture.
User @benny001 wrote:
> “Halloween is not a traditional or widely observed cultural holiday in Nigeria.”
He added humorously that:
> “Nigerians do not see the need to celebrate a Halloween day because every day of their life is already a Halloween day.”
Another social media user, Adesanya Tomisin, shared a similar opinion, noting that Nigerians’ strong religious beliefs make such celebrations awkward.
> “Nigerians are deeply religious and have an innate fear for anything related to the underworld or witchcraft.
Nigerians attribute most evil happenings to dark spiritual forces. It won’t make sense to celebrate idols or gods deemed evil by most, or start wearing costumes.”
On Facebook, Osazua Iruedo said Halloween holds no place in Nigeria’s festive calendar, especially when many indigenous festivals are already neglected.
> “Who wants to celebrate Halloween and spend seven days casting out demons? We are too spiritual to celebrate Halloween,” he joked.
Also weighing in, Olusegun Quadri drew a cultural comparison, describing Halloween as “a Western equivalent of local traditional festivals such as Osun-Osogbo or Egungun.”
For Andrew Bamidele, the issue isn’t just cultural — it’s economic.
> “After spending during Christmas or Sallah, there’s simply not enough money for that,” he said.
Adding a touch of humor, @Usmorris quipped:
> “If Halloween happened in Nigeria, our girlfriends would still have the guts to ask us, ‘where is my Halloween gift?’ Are you a demon?”
Another X user, @queen_mide, argued that Nigerians already have rich traditions of their own.
> “We already have our own traditional masquerades, festivals and superstitions — we don’t need to borrow another culture’s fear,” she wrote, urging Nigerians to “celebrate what connects us to our roots, not what disconnects us from it.”
Similarly, Samuel Ekene on Facebook warned that Nigerians would steer clear of Halloween if they understood its origins.
> “It’s not just about costumes and candy — it’s a celebration of spirits, and we already pray too much against that,” he said.
Overall, the online debate reflected a shared conclusion: Halloween may thrive in the West, but for most Nigerians, it remains a festival without cultural or spiritual relevance at home.
(Source: NAN)
