Yoruba Party Culture (Owambe) and its Social Aesthetics within Nigeria’s Capitalist Economy

Abstract

ABSTRACT This paper examines Yoruba owambe party culture in southwestern Nigeria, focusing on its social functions, aesthetic expressions, and economic implications within the country’s capitalist economy. The study is motivated by the endemic practice nature of and the prominence of the social gathering practice among the people. The research is qualitative and guided by John Dewey’s variant of the Progressivist Theory and Parsons-Merton Functionalist Theory as a variant of Social Change Theory. The study maintains that the owambe party culture has evolved beyond a gathering for wining and dining. However, the extravagance characterising Yoruba owambe is counter-intuitive in Nigeria’s declining capitalist economy. Also, the carnival-like nature of this social practice can serve as a tax-generation means for government through making musicians pay tax and requesting international brands to establish regional plants in Lagos. Image and video documentation of critical cultural goings-on at owambes need to be documented for both cyber and physical museum displays for tourism. The paper concludes that the Yoruba owambe social practice needs to be revisited in the context of modern Nigerian socio-economic realities, and this is best achieved by harnessing the economic potential and regulate its characteristics according to best practices. It was recommended the Nigeria government expedite actions on taxation aspect as such can improve government’s efforts towards social growth. Keywords: Yoruba owambe, African culture, Nigerian capitalist economy, party culture, conspicuous consumption