AFRREV VOL 14 (1), S/NO 57, JANUARY, 2020
African Research Review: An International
Multidisciplinary Journal, Ethiopia
AFRREV Vol. 14 (1), Serial No 57, January, 2020: 17-26
ISSN 1994-9057 (Print) ISSN 2070-0083 (Online)
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.4314/afrrev.v14i1.2
The Determinants of People’s Preference of Night Entertainment
Outfits in Abuja, Nigeria
Lawal, Musediq Olufemi
Department of Sociology,
College of Management and Social Sciences,
Osun State University, Okuku Campus,
Osogbo, Nigeria
E-mail: flawal2005@gmail.com
Adeyinka, Tajudeen Yusuf
Department of Sociology and Industrial Relations,
Fountain University, Osogbo, Nigeria
Oyediran, OlorunfemiBoye
Department of Leisure and Tourism Management,
Federal College of Wildlife Management,
Forestry Research Institute of Nigeria,
New Bussa, Niger State, Nigeria
Oluwole, Ebenezer Adegboyega
Department of Leisure and Tourism Management,
Federal College of Wildlife Management,
Forestry Research Institute of Nigeria,
New Bussa, Niger State, Nigeria
Abstract
Night entertainment as a form of leisure and relaxation is not a strange phenomenon globally,
it is also gaining prominence in Nigeria particularly in urban centre. Scholars have discussed
the prospects of this brand of entertainment in terms of its economic and social rewards, but
most of these efforts are foreign based. This study studied the situation in Abuja in Nigeria.
The study was quantitative in approach and has questionnaire as its main tool of data
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AFRREV VOL 14 (1), S/NO 57, JANUARY, 2020
collection. A total 100 respondents were involved in the study. The data collected were
analyzed, interpreted and presented in simple percentage. Night entertainment was preferred
because the period is unique, devoid of hustle and bustle commonly found in the day time
(17%) and has power to enhance total wellbeing, opportunity to make business contacts
(19%). Live Musical band (42%), wining and dining (34%), indoor game (14%) and comedy
corner (10%) were the preferred activities. Challenges encountered in night entertainment
include harassment by the law enforcement agents (36%), stigmatization on the part of the
general populace (22%) and occasional disturbance due to unruly behaviour of some patrons
(30%). Coping measures adopted to mitigate these challenges include moving in group with
other patrons to prevent or minimise embarrassment (43%), possession of official identity
card to prevent harassment from security agents (36%) and enlightenment of service of
security agents to curtail unruly behaviour from patrons (21%).
Introduction
Tourism and associated arts, culture and entertainment facilities are playing an increasingly
prominent role in the economy of the countries that embrace them. They also have an
important role to play in the local economy, providing both direct and indirect employment
opportunities, as well as supporting a wider range of local services and facilities that can be
used by local residents. As a rapidly growing phenomenon, tourism has become one of the
largest industries in the world (Bankole &Odularu, 2006; Roe and Urquhart 2001; UNEP
2002). It plays an important and certainly positive role in the socio-economic and political
development in destination countries by offering new employment opportunities and in
certain instances contribute to a broader cultural understanding by creating awareness,
respecting the diversity of cultures and ways of life. In the words of Egbuewu (2007),
tourism beautifies the environment and does everything that would make one feel satisfied.
People are always motivated by one factor or the other to travel for leisure, hence the desire to
leave their traditional homes for various tourist destinations where they feel their touristic
desires will be met. While at the destinations, whatever factor(s) that attract them always
serve as source of entertainment for them. Apart from traditional sight-seeing activities that
tourists usually engaged in while at the destinations, leisure and recreation providers
identified the need to provide elaborate entertainment for their clients to make their stay and
holiday worthwhile. Entertainment is as varied as the people who enjoy it. In today's world,
people are bombarded with entertainment possibilities, many without even leaving their
homes; this notwithstanding they are expected among all these choices to find something that
suits them.
In some societies, entertainment industry has become a supplement for sustainable economic
development. Burrows and Loader (1994) noted that the flourishing of new entertainment
economy was due to political processes and regulatory responses by the national and local
state to changes in the global economy and shifts in production (Harvey, 1989). It was further
clarified that the new entertainment economy is being fuelled by the growth of night-time
activity (Chatterton & Hollands, 2001; Chatterton and Hollands, 2002; Hollands, 2002) the
entertainment and nightlife economy has received far less scholarly attention. In view of the
forgoing, this work found it imperative to focus on entertainment and night-life with
particular emphasis on factors that influence its preference in a society (like Nigeria) that is
highly routed in cultural taboo of people moving around in the night.
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An aspect of entertainment that has equally being neglected is Nightlife or night
entertainment. What then is Night entertainment? Night entertainment denotes collective
term for any entertainment that is available and more popular from the late evening into the
early hours of the morning. It includes the public houses, nightclubs, discotheques, bars, live
music, concert, cabaret, small theatres, small cinemas, shows, and sometimes restaurants.
Increase in number of outfits that are providing services for nightlife consumers is a
manifestation of preference to this brand of entertainment in tourism. In spite of this,
available information about nightlife has been traditionally provided only through medium
like newspapers and flyers. This usually includes current and general information about a
limited number of entertainment events, which comprise among others restaurants, shows,
music, bars, clubs, theater performances and movies. Night entertainment or Nightlife has not
received desired scholarly works particularly in Nigeria.
In the light of this, the focus of this study is being directed at Night entertainment with
specific concern on factors determining people’s specific preference to this brand of
entertainment. The reason behind this is that nightlife or night entertainment as a promising
aspect of entertainment in tourism needs more exploration from academic point of view. The
outcome of this will be useful in policy directed at developing and promoting tourism sector
for sustainable development.
In achieving this, the concern of this study is examination of the rate of tourists involvement
in Night-entertainment in the study area; the status of the people involved in this brand of
entertainment; the factors determining their preference of night entertainment and the
challenges confronting the tourists in the course of patronage of destinations that provides
night entertainment.
The significance of the study lies in the fact that the fortune of tourism can be further boosted
by giving proper attention to specific aspect of tourism like nightlife or night entertainment.
With a step of this nature, the prospect of tourism will be explored maximally for optimum
benefits. Ability to ensure this is tied to proper understanding of the current state of night
entertainment. Determinants of people’s preference of nightlife to other form of
entertainment also proved a veritable tool for appreciation of potentials in tourism and how to
harness them.
Methodology
Data for this study were collected through questionnaire. A copy of this instrument was
administered on each of the 100 respondents sampled for this study.
The target populations for this study were male and female tourists found in the study settings
at the time of data collection for this study. The sample for this study is put at one hundred
(100) respondents.
The first step in sampling the respondents for this study includes purposive selection of areas
within Abuja noted as ‘hotspots’ for night entertainment. In the course of this, five areas
were identified and selected. They are Wuze Zone; Utako District, Garki Area, Maitama
Area and Central Area. From each of the identified areas 5 hospitality outfits that offer
activities like nightclubs, discotheques, bars, live music, concert, cabaret, small theatres,
small cinemas, shows were identified and selected. A total of 2 hospitality outfits were
randomly sampled out of the five selected making two outfits per area sampled and ten outfits
in all. In view of this, equal number of representations was given to each of these outfits.
This means the study population of one hundred respondents was divided among 10
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hospitality outfits sampled. The implication of this is that 10 respondents from each of these
outfits took part in the study.
In picking eligible person for the survey from these hospitality outfit, willingness to partake
was considered. Assistance of the Managers in charge of these outfits was obtained in the
course of distributing the questionnaires to the respondents. The respondents who were
tourists to these outfits were asked to pick a questionnaire for administration. The
questionnaires were retrieved back after administration on weekly basis from these outfits for
final analysis and interpretation.
The quantitative data generated in the study were analyzed with Statistical Package for Social
Science (SPSS). The findings were interpreted accordingly and expressed in simple
percentages.
Data Presentation
Socio-Demographic Characteristics of the Respondents
The data from the study showed that the male formed the majority of the respondents (62%),
this was followed by the female gender (38%). The beauty of this finding is that it shows that
gender parity in terms of patronage and involvement in Night entertainment. Age category of
the respondents revealed that those within the ages of 31 and 40 years formed the majority
(38%); this was followed by those who are 41 years of age and above (34%) and those
between the age cohort of 20 and 30 years (28%). By this finding, it shows that those in
productive cadre of the society are equally and actively involved in Night entertainment. The
findings also corroborated a range of evidence that suggested that young people play a
distinctive role in the consumption sphere (Willis, 1990; Miles, 2000), and in nightlife culture
in particular (Mintel, 2000; Mintel, 1998; Malbon, 1999). It was further shown that marital
status of the respondents revealed that most of the respondents (52%) were unmarried
(single). The rest were married (34%) and divorced/widow (14%).
Income of the respondents from all sources according to the data in the study showed that
12% earned between N20,000 – N29,999 per month. Others include N30,000 to N39,999
(13%), N40,000 to N49,999 (37%) and N50,000 and above (34%).
Issues Pertaining to Night Entertainment
In terms of visitation to the Night entertainment outfits, the respondents reveal as follow: less
than 3 times in a month (24%), between 3 and 5 times in a month (36%) and more than 5
times in a month (40%).
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AFRREV VOL 14 (1), S/NO 57, JANUARY, 2020
Fig. 1: Assessment of Customers Patronage of
Entrertainment Outfit
The place is always busy with
customers milling around for services
The population of the patron increases
on daily basis
44
27
Very impressive
29
0 10 20 30 40 50
Source: Field Survey, 2019
Figure 1 showed the assessment of Customers’ patronage of most of these outfits. According
to the data, the respondents rated the outfits as very impressive (29%). In the opinion or
observation of other respondents, the population of the patron increases on daily basis (27%).
The remaining 44% submitted that the place is always busy with customers milling around for
services (44%)
Source: Field Survey, 2019
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Most of the respondents according to figure 2 visit their choice of night entertainment outfits
because of the serene atmosphere and peaceful nature of its location (38%), the quality of
customers patronizing the place (28%) and that it was the only place permitted by the nature
of their jobs in terms of proximity (34%).
Table 1: Factors influencing Patronage of Night Entertainment
Factors
It is devoid of hustle and bustle commonly found in the
day time
It doesn’t affect official duties
It is easier to return home due to little or no traffic
hold-ups
It creates room for interactions with the movers and
shakers of the society
Opportunity to make business connections
It is the perfect period for relaxing the tensed nerves
occasioned by official duties
Total
Frequency
17
10
14
16
19
24
100
Percentage
17.0
10.0
14.0
16.0
19.0
24.0
100.0
Source: Field Survey, 2019
Series of factors were mentioned as influencing the preference of the Night entertainment by
the respondents. According to the data from this study as displayed in the above table, the
period is devoid of hustle and bustle commonly found in the day time (17%) and that it did
not affect their official duties (10%). It was further revealed that availability of and avenue
for interaction with the movers and shakers of the society (16%), flexibility in returning home
after the day due to little or no traffic hold-up (14%), opportunity to make business
connections (19%) and the recognition of the period as perfect for relaxing the nerves that
have been tensed through official responsibilities were other factors listed as influencing their
choice of night entertainment.
Table 2: Preferred Event(s) during Night Entertainment
Factors
Frequency
Percentage
Live Musical Band
42
Winning and Dinning
34
Indoor Game
14
Comedy Corner
10
Total
100
42.0
34.0
14.0
10.0
100.0
Source: Field Survey, 2019
Majority of the study population (42%) according to table 2, preferred live band being
engaged to entertain the Patrons with music. The preference of the rest includes wining and
dining (34%), indoor game (14%) and comedy corner (10%). The events mentioned above
formed parts of what attracted them most. In line with the position of Stewart (1990), going
out or drinking was found to be the third-most-important spending priority amongst 16–24-
year-olds. Inference into the revelation on substantial proportion of young people being
involved in this study is an affirmation of Mintel (2000, 1998) that young adults are more
likely to frequent pubs and more likely to attend night-clubs than the general population.
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Fig. 3: Challenges in the course of involvement in
Night Entertainment12
All of the above
Harassment by the Law Enforcement
agents
Occasional disturbance due to unruly
behaviour of some patrons
Stigmatization on the part of the
general populace
36
30
22
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40
Source: Field Survey, 2019
Harassment by the Law Enforcement agents (36%), stigmatization on the part of the general
populace (22%) and occasional disturbance due to unruly behaviour of some patrons (30%)
are the problems being experienced during the observation of night leisure also known as
Night entertainment. The remaining percentage of the study population (12%) equally
supported all the above-mentioned facts as the common challenges being experienced during
Night entertainment.
Fig. 4: Strategies for managing the noted
Challenges
Moving in group with other patrons to
43
prevent or minimize embarrassment
Always in possession of official
identification card to prevent
harassment from the security agents
Enlisting the service of Security
Agency to curtail unruly behaviour
and banditry
36
21
0 10 20 30 40 50
Source: Field Survey, 2019
The respondents revealed various forms of coping measures adopted to mitigate the
challenges being experienced during the patronage of Night entertainment outfits. The
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measures include enlistment of assistance of security agency to curtail unruly behaviour and
banditry (21%), being in possession of official identification card to prevent harassment from
the security agents (36%) and moving in group with other Patrons to prevent or minimize
embarrassment (43%).
Discussion
Night entertainment remains one of the activities people give preference to within Abuja
metropolis. The patrons of the Night entertainment cut across the two genders. They were in
their active and productive age. This finding has clearly shown that Night entertainment has
come to stay in Nigeria. From this study, it is apparent that the benefits derivable from Night
entertainment go beyond wining and dining. At the same time, emergence of Night
entertainment outfits in whatever brands it might have appears is an indication of its
acceptance and realization of its advantages. The study corroborated the position of
Chatterton and Hollands (2002) that Entertainment and nightlife have become central
components of this economic restructuring press for the individual and have provided many
localities assumed escape routes to offset decline in the local economy. Clear picture about
this is made by the respondents who patronise night entertainment outfits as points of making
business contacts, relaxing the body for it to recuperate from job and societal stresses. This is
automatically pointing at the efforts towards realizing social, emotional, physical and
spiritual wellbeing. It further justified the previous studies that young people play a
distinctive role in the consumption sphere (Bobcock, 1993, Willis, 1990; Miles, 2000), and in
nightlife culture in particular (Mintel, 2000; Malbon, 1999). The findings in this study
corroborated earlier position of Godbey (2009) that Leisure Time, Community Attributes,
Proximity to recreation Spaces, safety and social settings were noted as factors affecting
participation in Night Entertainment.
Conclusion
Also, the emergence and prominence of night entertainment outfits in Nigeria is an indication
that entertainment industry is flourishing due to political processes and regulatory responses
by the federal and local state to changes in the global economy and shifts in production. As
the global economy is gradually emphasizing the revitalization of core areas of old industrial
cities for economic renewal the developing nations like Nigeria need to take a cue from it to
better her economy. Since it is receiving reasonable patronage from the people, entertainment
and nightlife industry needs to be seen and handled as central components of economic
restructuring process that will provide escape routes to offset decline in the local economy.
Like every other western society, there is dire need to explore this avenue for economic gain.
Concise efforts in this regard will even lead to official regularization of these outfits to ensure
quality services delivery that will not be injurious to the society and the people therein. This
will also afford the community the opportunity of benefiting from lots of advantages that are
inherent in this tourism related sector.
Recommendations
Protection Against Sexual Assault
Borrowing from the recommendations of Guideline published by the New York Police
(2011), the Management and employees of Night entertainment outfits can help to prevent
their premises from being exploited by sexual aggressors, who may seek to take advantage of
vulnerable patrons. According to this guideline, alcohol is the most common substance
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aggressors use to facilitate sexual assault. Both the aggressor and the target may have
impaired judgment and lower awareness as a result of alcohol consumption, leading to a
greater chance of sexual violation anywhere along the spectrum from harassment to violent
assault. However, the environment around a sexual aggressor can make a difference in their
behaviour when the in-house security personnel are stationed to forestall such.
Police-Community Relations
The New York Police (2011) equally suggested that Entertainment establishments should
provide a list of all special events and types of entertainment which will significantly increase
the influx of patrons and vehicles within the Police jurisdiction in which they are located.
From this, it is necessary that notifications should be sent to the appropriate Divisional Police
Headquarters 72 hours in advance for the awareness of the Police and necessary action.
Provision of Infrastructure and Security
Government should provide all the social amenities like uninterrupted power supply, good
and accessible roads to make movement in the night easier. Provision of adequate security
and routine surveillance of all the night entertainment centres should be taken into cognizance
to prevent unruly behaviour and disturbance of public peace. Since this brand of
entertainment is night-biased, efforts should be made by the government to ensure that
security patrol is intensified. The security personnel should be trained to be civil and
methodical in their dealing with people so that the tourists are not harassed.
Provision of Enabling Law
There should be enabling law that will encourage investments in night entertainment. Such
law will safeguard their interests on one part; on the other hand, it will help in regulating the
entrants into this business. The law should specify the roles and interests of all stakeholders
in such a way that the whole arrangement will ushers in mutual benefits for everybody. The
law should also include the age barriers for the Patrons. Such barrier will take care of
immoral dealings, child abuse and under-age involvement.
Economic Empowerment:
Criminality breeds insecurity, uneven distribution of opportunities like jobs was ascribed as
part of the cause of criminality. To save tourism industry from this havoc, it is necessary that
job opportunities are provided for the youth and other employable citizens. Vocational
training should be put in place to retrain others so as to meet up with the contemporary needs
and challenges. While the enhancing economic situations in the country, it will also lead to
drastic reduction of incidence of crime and criminality. Drastic reduction in the rate of crime
will enhance a favorable atmosphere for the patrons of night entertainment to enjoy their
leisure undisturbed.
Education and Sensitization:
People’s participation should be encouraged through the mass media. People should be
sensitized on the relevance of leisure and relaxation. There is also need for reorientation of
people on sorts of entertainment available and their advantages so as to avoid stigmatization
of night-entertainment patrons as ‘night crawlers’.
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