Nigeria: Dress, Drums & Jollof for Teams

Dress, Drums & Jollof for Teams, Nigeria

Context: Office Owambe – Unity in Diversity

Nigeria is a kaleidoscope of culture, with around 250 ethnic groups and hundreds of languages interwoven into daily life, and for readability this chapter uses widely accepted English spellings without diacritics and brief first‑use glosses for key terms. In such a plural society, the workplace often becomes a microcosm of the nation’s diversity. It’s no surprise that some companies have borrowed the spirit of owambe—a Yoruba social party tradition linked with aso ebi and a vibrant event economy that has evolved in the social media era and is sometimes debated for ostentation—and adapted it for the workplace. Schools long held “cultural days” where students wear ethnic attire and share regional dishes; now forward‑looking offices are doing the same while spotlighting cultures such as Tiv, Kanuri, Efik/Ibibio, Nupe, Ijaw, and Urhobo/Itsekiri alongside the Big Three to bridge team divides. Some public institutions have hosted cultural appreciation days to showcase staff heritage, though frequency varies and readers should consult official notices for current practices. The rationale is simple: celebrating each other’s roots at work can help colleagues feel like a cohesive team bound by mutual pride rather than just policies.

Meet Julius Berger Nigeria

If any company exemplifies Nigeria’s cultural blend, it’s Julius Berger Nigeria Plc (JBN). Founded in 1965 by a German construction firm, JBN grew into a workforce of 18,000+ employees from nearly 40 nations *#:~:text=The%20company%20has%20been%20listed,6), building everything from Lagos’s bridges to Abuja’s skyscrapers. With such mix of expatriate and local staff, the firm’s leadership has long navigated how to forge one identity out of many. In October 2023—timed with Nigeria’s Independence Day on 1 October—JBN’s HR and executives launched an Annual Cultural Day celebration across offices and project sites. On the inaugural Friday, the usually formal halls of JBN exploded with color and camaraderie. Engineers traded their hard hats for intricately patterned agbada robes; accountants arrived in flowing Isiagu Igbo tunics; expatriate managers donned local attire gifted by their teams with etiquette guidance on appropriate use.

What started as a one-day event felt like a nationwide carnival. In Abuja, the Head of HR opened with a simple message: “Be proud of your culture, and learn your colleague’s too.” At the Lagos yard, Regional Manager Alexander Bauer – himself a German native – welcomed everyone in Yoruba before declaring that celebrating Nigeria’s heritage was JBN’s way of “identifying with the rich culture of the people” *. He noted that their very diversity…strengthen[s], unify[ies] and galvanise[s] [us] together as one big family *. Beside him, Technical Manager Christl Thomas cut a striking figure in southeastern Igbo regalia, explaining that by “harnessing our cultural diversity” through dress and food, JBN hoped to “enhance the operational efficiency of all staff” *. In other words, this wasn’t just a dress‑up event—it was a strategic bet that celebrating together may support belonging and collaboration, with effects to be tested using simple pre/post measures. The enthusiasm was palpable: apart from those on duty, a large majority opted in—from interns to executives—while others observed or contributed asynchronously without any performance consequence *. With hashtags like #HarnessingOurDiversity lighting up internal socials, the Cultural Day has since earned a permanent spot on the company calendar.

Cultural Day Celebration — Step-by-Step

Minute	Scene & Activity	Purpose
0–30	Grand Arrival: Employees stream in wearing vibrant traditional outfits; an immediate buzz of compliments and selfies.	Ice-breaker; everyone seen as individuals beyond job titles.
30–45	Opening Circle: HR or a senior leader (decked in attire) formally opens the event, acknowledging each represented culture and the day’s significance.	Sets inclusive tone; leadership endorsement of diversity.
45–70	Cultural Showcase: Volunteers among staff perform—a Yoruba talking‑drum sequence, an Igbo troupe’s dance, a Hausa folk song, perhaps a short skit in Pidgin English—within agreed decibel limits, with an adjacent quiet zone for those who need it. Colleagues cheer and join impromptu.	Shared pride and education; team members become teachers and entertainers.
70–90	Fashion Parade: A lighthearted, opt‑in showcase where employees share the stories behind their outfits and group themselves by self‑identified cultures rather than broad regions. Laughter and applause abound in a non‑competitive, peer‑celebratory moment that centers storytelling over judgment.	Fosters confidence, dissolves hierarchy (the CEO might be up there dancing).
90–120	Taste of Nigeria Lunch: A buffet of local delicacies—jollof rice, suya skewers, egusi soup, pounded yam—is catered or reimbursed, with ingredient and allergen labels, halal/vegetarian/no‑pork options, and basic food‑safety guidelines if employees contribute. Teams mix at tables, trading food stories.	Communal eating bonds the group; experiencing each other’s comfort food builds empathy.
120–150	Photo & Wrap-up: Group photos with mixed‑cultural groups, a closing thank‑you from leadership, and a link to a one‑page brief explaining why this matters, norms and opt‑out language, photo consent, and how feedback will be used. Photos are taken on an opt‑in basis using visible consent indicators, external posting requires written consent and Legal/HR review, and internal galleries follow a defined retention window.	Captures memories; externalizes the culture (for employer branding); reinforces that the ritual is valued by the company.

(Some JBN sites compressed the schedule into a long lunch break, while others made it an all-afternoon affair. Either way, hold the event during paid time with coverage for shift/on‑duty roles, avoid safety‑critical windows, and provide an equivalent alternative for those who cannot or prefer not to attend.)

Why It Works — The Spice of Team Unity

Turning the workplace into a cultural festival yields more than pretty pictures—it can strengthen shared identity, psychological safety, and cooperation through synchrony and meaning‑making. When colleagues swap suits for ancestral dress, they effectively peel off rank and ego along with the office uniform. A senior manager in a bright Ankara print and a junior analyst in hand‑embroidered aso oke automatically see each other in a new light: as keepers of unique stories, not just roles. Dress, music, food, and storytelling mark separation, create a liminal space, and then support incorporation during the wrap‑up, building communitas that reduces power distance and enables more honest communication. Research on group synchrony and collective rituals suggests that shared experiences like dancing together and eating together can foster cohesion and prosocial behavior without needing to claim specific neurochemical effects. Indeed, some HR sources suggest that workplace events can create natural settings for genuine conversations that don’t revolve around work, forging personal connections beyond professional roles *. Employees who feel safe bringing their full identity to work are more likely to voice ideas and collaborate freely, without the “code-switching” fatigue that can come from hiding parts of oneself.

Moreover, Cultural Day doubles as a peer‑to‑peer cultural learning exchange. A team that understands the significance of a colleague’s hijab embroidery or the proverb on another’s cap is a team less likely to fall into stereotype traps. Psychologically, this ritual satisfies a deep human craving: to be seen and appreciated for who we are. By embracing each person’s heritage, the company sends a message that every background matters – and people “work better when they feel seen” *. Finally, the celebratory nature of the day – music, dance, feasting – taps into pure joy. Joy is an underrated business asset: it can prime teams for creativity and cooperation, which leaders can link to observable outcomes such as increased cross‑team Slack replies per week, more balanced speaking time in meetings, and fewer handoff defects per sprint.

Outcomes & Impact

Though Julius Berger’s Cultural Day is a recent addition, early signs point to lasting impact. In the immediate aftermath, water‑cooler chatter took on a new flavor: an engineer from Kaduna gushed about learning a shekere (gourd rattle) rhythm from a Yoruba accountant; a shy IT intern suddenly became “our Fuji dance champ” after his star turn on stage. HR reports that departments that barely interacted before were swapping recipes on the company intranet the week after. It’s exactly the kind of cross-pollination a giant engineering firm hopes to see – and it aligns with broader data on diversity and inclusion. Studies show that when employees feel a strong sense of belonging, they are more likely to “want to stay, contribute, and enjoy showing up to work” *. JBN’s management certainly noticed: the event’s high opt‑in rate and positive buzz convinced them to budget more funds for Cultural Day 2024, expanding inclusive food options and offering an optional family‑friendly session with no expectation or penalty for non‑attendance.

Externally, the Cultural Day has bolstered Julius Berger’s employer brand. Photos of expatriate executives respectfully eating pounded yam with the right hand or utensils, and of teams in a rainbow of traditional attires, were shared on internal channels and selected external posts with prior consent. In an era when many job seekers consider workplace diversity before accepting an offer, such visuals can complement a clear mission statement. They tell prospective talent: “Here, you won’t have to check your identity at the door.” While it’s too soon for hard ROI metrics, JBN’s leadership believes that the uplift in morale is itself a competitive advantage. This mirrors global research which finds that truly inclusive workplaces see higher engagement and lower turnover – benefits that directly affect the bottom line *. In essence, the Cultural Day ritual is turning diversity from an HR slogan into a lived experience, one party at a time.

Lessons for Global Team Leaders

Principle	Why It Matters	How to Translate
Celebrate heritage	Showing pride in employees’ backgrounds makes them feel valued and included.	Mark cultural holidays or host a “heritage day” potluck; invite storytelling about traditions.
All-in participation	Visible engagement by leaders can help flatten hierarchies, while participation for everyone is voluntary with socially safe alternatives and no impact on performance reviews.	Leaders should model engagement (wear culturally appropriate attire or share a story, or try the dance) and make it clear participation is voluntary with equivalent alternatives such as an asynchronous culture board or a paid learning hour.
Interactive exchange	Two-way cultural sharing builds deeper bonds than one-way observation.	Include interactive elements (dance lessons, music, food tasting) rather than just a static attire day.
Authenticity over tokenism	Sincere respect beats superficial PR; people know the difference.	Avoid forcing anyone or trivializing symbols; consult employees from each culture to get details right, credit origins, and partner with compensated culture‑bearers or vendors (e.g., meanings of attire).
Ritual consistency	A repeating event reinforces values and gives staff something to look forward to together.	Put it on the calendar at a regular interval (e.g., annual cultural day or monthly diversity lunch) and stick to it, adjusting based on feedback.

Implementation Playbook

Create a culture squad. Assemble a small volunteer committee representing different departments and cultures. Task them with designing an event that credits cultural origins, uses correct names, invites local culture‑bearers, and compensates contributors so it feels authentic to your team’s makeup.
Set the date and theme. Tie the celebration to a meaningful date and schedule it during paid time with shift coverage, accessibility accommodations, remote participation options, and sensitivity to fasting periods. Give everyone ample notice to prepare outfits or contributions, and offer small stipends or loaner attire to remove financial and time burden. Themes can be broad (“Heritage Fest”) or rotating (“Around Nigeria in 8 Dishes” for a food-centric twist).
Resource it. Secure a modest budget for essentials—decorations and reimbursed or catered food—estimate all‑in cost per participant (time × loaded rate + materials), name an accountable owner and comms/data/privacy roles, timebox to 60–90 minutes with groups of ≤30, define a 50%‑cheaper MVP (e.g., a 60‑minute heritage lunch with three storytellers), and avoid contests by offering inclusive thank‑yous instead. If budget is tight, creativity substitutes money: borrow a speaker for music within agreed decibel limits, use accessible conference rooms as cultural “booths,” and have employees DJ their regional playlists.
Lead by example. Have managers and team leads champion the event and follow a one‑page run sheet covering roles, safety/HSE checks, decibel limits and quiet zones, PPE boundaries, remote/hybrid participation, and opt‑in guidelines for the showcase. Nothing kills a culture initiative faster than perceived cynicism from the top. Encourage folks who may be shy that simply wearing a favorite color or sharing a childhood photo is welcome if they aren’t comfortable in attire or performance.
Celebrate, evaluate, iterate. During the event, take photos only with opt‑in consent indicators and clarify that any external use requires written permission while internal galleries have a defined retention period, and encourage people to explain the stories behind what they wear or the food they share. Afterward, pilot the ritual for 6–8 weeks with 2–4 teams (with a waitlist/control), repeat it 2–3 times, and collect brief pre/post measures with clear success and stop criteria. Use these insights to make the next Cultural Day (or similar team ritual) even more inclusive. Over time, expand invitations to remote colleagues via a defined hybrid plan and, where feasible, offer an optional family‑friendly session with no expectation or impact for those who do not attend.

Common Pitfalls

Be wary of turning a rich cultural exchange into a perfunctory dress‑up day or using sacred or restricted regalia and masquerades outside their appropriate contexts. Tokenism – like mandating everyone bring a dish from an ancestry they barely know – can cause discomfort or even offense. The goal is voluntary enthusiasm. Likewise, avoid overgeneralization (e.g., assuming one person can represent an entire ethnic group’s customs) or letting one culture dominate every time. Rotate spotlights and include a simple code of conduct that respects modesty and religious boundaries, avoids inter‑ethnic jokes, and keeps learning as the focus rather than judging. Finally, don’t treat it as a one-off PR stunt; consistency and sincerity are what embed a ritual into company DNA.

Reflection & Call to Action

There’s a popular Igbo proverb: “Gidi gidi bụ ugwu eze” — Unity is the honor of a king. In a modern office, that translates to unity is the strength of a team. Rituals like Cultural Day turn that abstract ideal into lived reality by giving everyone a chance to both teach and learn, to lead and follow, in a joyous setting. If a full-blown festival sounds daunting, start smaller. Perhaps a “World Wednesday” lunch where one team member shares music and a snack from their hometown, or a simple photo board of staff heritage. The key is to create a space where your people can say, “I am because we are”, to borrow a sentiment of African Ubuntu philosophy. When teammates see each other as whole humans with rich histories, the bonds that form are resilient and deep. So go ahead, add a dash of cultural spice to your team’s routine. The camaraderie and trust that grow from it will flavor your work in the best possible way, long after the drums stop and the last jollof grain is gone.