Last Saturday, the hottest party for Nigerian women in 2023 happened. All the hot babes gathered in Ikoyi, Lagos and had so much fun that they HERtitude the talk of the town.
Amidst the buzz, there were clamours for a male-only party, and banter about whether the male version would be as successful as HERtitude.
I’ve been facepalming at all the comments and laughing at jokes about how guys can’t have fun without babes.
I spoke to nine Nigerian men, and this is what they had to say about the idea of a men-only party, or HIMtitude, if you will.
“It’ll work, but only in small groups.”
— Conrad, 28.
It won’t work unless the activities are competitive (either men are the ones competing or they’re watching others compete). Men can’t party together just for partying sake. Ko le werk because the essence of why it was created is lost when it becomes an arena of games. HERtitude was a party. Like, literally just a party. The games they played at the start were mostly warm ups for a night of dancing and drinking. I don’t think we need something that sells itself as the male version of HERtitude. Instead, we should have something completely removed from it. It’s like having an original story as opposed to trying to remake or continue a franchise.
“I will not be there.”
— Dolapo, 25.
“It may sound cliche but it’s only going to bang if there are football matches, board games, drinks, food, and the likes. But I don’t think it’s going to sell because guys like it when they can mingle and make friends with girls. As for me,, I won’t be attending.”
“HERtitude was for women. Let them enjoy it, please.”
— Laolu, 29
“I don’t want to see any HIMtitude or BROtitude abeg. We do these things all the time at bars, lounges, sports pitches, etc. The reason why it’s novel for women is because there are not a lot of spaces that accommodate women alone and it’s largely because men will go into those spaces and try to exert dominance. But men have so many spaces like that. Let women have this one, please.”
“HIMtitude will be dope for men to teach other men what they should know.”
— Ayodeji, 27.
“I think I like HIMtitude, it has a ring to it. I expect to see bottles, chow, games ranging from PlayStation to football, jenga, table tennis and the likes. Musical performances, a smash room, barbers with free haircuts, people teaching men how to do general life stuff that a fatherly figure would have taught you; knotting a tie, changing tyres, etc, prostrate cancer awareness with free tests, etc.”
Only macho contests and games can bring me to a HIMtitude event
— Adeolu, 30.
I might not attend a HIMtitude event, but if I did, I would expect to see a game booth where you can play one on one games with other guys, like Mortal Kombat, Street Fighter, FIFA, etc. Also, drinks, tug of war and other macho contests.
“A men-only party isn’t bad, but with physical and video games”
— Zaheir, 23.
I think it should be more of an interactive event than a ‘show’ event. There should be interactive activities, games and more games. That’s what I’d like to see.
“A movie booth because I don’t like sports or games.”
— Adeyinka, 30.
“I’d very much like to have a movie booth at a men-only party. I’m not a fan of football or games, so usually movies are where the magic is for me. It would make sense to have some of my guys come around and we see a movie together, something like fast and furious. Everyone has gotten so busy these days, it would be nice to catch up as a group. HIMtitude, run it for me, abeg.”
“There should be childhood games.”
— Fortune, 25.
A male version of HERtitude will make sense with the right things in place. Guys bond on different things, so there has to be categories of activities to do. A video game joint will make sense. Runway fashion, art display, music, painting and pure vibes. Spoken word including riddles and gist (riddles in pidgin can be fun). There can be games we used to play as kids like those ‘dancing around the chair,’ ‘name of things that you know’ and other stuff.”
