Event centers, which are places for hosting social gatherings like weddings, meetings, funerals, and naming ceremonies, are all over the southwestern part of Nigeria.
Certain are enclosed in buildings, while others are semi-enclosed or located on open fields. The largest convention and conference centers are usually built according to iconic architectural plans and are typically made in the name of the federal government. Institutions or individuals also construct those for the purpose of hosting social gatherings such as wedding receptions or birthday parties.
Event centers are classified as large, medium, or small in relation to costs and size. We conducted studies on the causes behind the growing popularity of these facilities, as well as their symbolic meaning. Our research indicates that arranging wedding ceremonies in event venues helped ease the stress of celebration.
The factors that determined the choices that people made were accessibility, proximity, and price. This led to social categorizing and defining the people in terms of “rich” and “poor.” This imposed a value on both the event and the users.
We discovered that the usage of event centers in Ibadan was associated with social significance. Based on the choices they made, people were classified into a certain group that was able to afford to indulge in lavish consumption.
Examining the event center culture in the southwest region of Nigeria gives insights into how venues for social gatherings can be used as indicators of the class of people.
Why do we need event centers?
In the past, important events like burials and birthdays, naming ceremonies, weddings, and chieftaincy celebrations were generally held on the premises of the celebrants or the family’s home.
However, the rapid pace of change – and evolving tastes and demands of the customer have rendered traditional methods of celebration old-fashioned. This is why events center culture is growing with the wealthy and upper middle class. Weddings, as well as other social occasions, are becoming more frequent in event centers.
To conduct our research, we selected events centers located in Ibadan city, using the costs of each to create three categories: small (between $500 and $1000), large ($1,666 between $2,333 and $1666), and large (above the $2,666 mark).
Some respondents claimed that they view the event center’s use as fashionable. One respondent described the idea in this manner:
Yes, I could have had my wedding ceremony at my wife’s house, but the reality is that things are changing. People aren’t doing that anymore. It was in the past, and we did not want to be traditional. We were looking to keep up to keep up with the times.
Another reason cited is the cold weather. The respondent claimed:
We rented a hall for our wedding ceremony as it was during the rainy season. It’s the kind of day when storms often accompany rains. It can ruin the occasion, and, as we mentioned earlier, the venue we chose was close to our church, which meant it was easy for guests to walk across the aisle from the church into the reception grounds.
Other factors that contributed to the popularity of the event centers located in Ibadan included proximity, which is the distance between the residence of the celebrant and the church, as well as the reception location. Another important factor was the location of the venue and its visibility, along with other amenities.
Additionally, we found a class and social element to the usage of the centers.
Event center as a status indicator
Our study found that hiring high-end event venues increased the social standing of people and gave them a sense of respect. The hiring of these centers satisfied the social needs – like status – of the patrons.
A person who is highly regarded in the community with influential family members would require an event venue that reflects their status in society. They’d choose a high-end platform.
The cost of renting the venue varied between N150,000 and 1,000,000 dollars per hour. The most expensive venue in the Ibadan metropolis was Naira 1,000,000 ($5,076). It was mostly visited by those of distinction and the upper class.
