The month is filled with vibrant arts and entertainment, including plays, musical concerts, festivals, operas, fashion shows, poetry, and various performance arts.

As the month unfolds, the atmosphere is electrified with fireworks, street carnivals, and colourful Christmas decorations, complemented by numerous year-end thanksgiving parties.

It’s also a time for bonding, as Nigerians reconnect with family and friends visiting from around the world.

Recognising the significance of December, FirstBank, through its First@arts initiative, hosts the annual DecemberIssaVybe campaign.

This initiative aims to inspire and empower people to create and enjoy thrilling memories by providing fully paid access to highly sought-after concerts, shows, plays, and festivals featuring A-list entertainers.

In light of the tough economic climate, FirstBank offers a welcome relief for Nigerians looking to celebrate and have fun this December.

For over 130 years, the premier financial institution has consistently woven itself into the fabrics of the society including its massive support for festive concerts showcasing Africa’s biggest music stars, including Kizz Daniel, Davido, Burna Boy, Asake, Tiwa Savage and many others, creating unforgettable experiences for music lovers.

The DecemberIssaVybe campaign is all about making memories. It provides a platform for both Nigerians and international audiences to enjoy unique experiences. Since its inception in 2018, the FirstBankIssaVybe campaign has delivered exciting moments that people eagerly anticipate each December.

As we get into the 2024 year end season, FirstBank has curated an impressive lineup of events for maximum enjoyment through DecemberIssaVybe.

The much-anticipated campaign kicked off on Saturday, December 13, at Onikan Stadium in Lagos, featuring the sponsorship of Kenny Blaq’s Reckless Musicomedy Festival.

Through engaging social media activities, FirstBank distributed free tickets to young Nigerians and entertainment enthusiasts eager to attend the show.

The event which started in the late afternoon into the night showcased an unforgettable evening filled with laughter and music, featuring performances from DJ Neptune, Kenny Blaq, Aproko, MC Monica, OvyGodwin, and others. Attendees enjoyed a night of laughter, dancing, and vibrant energy.

The exhilarating festival merges the dynamic worlds of music and comedy, highlighting Africa’s impressive creative entertainment scene.

Alongside renowned comedians, many emerging talents were given the stage to showcase their skills, receiving enthusiastic applause from the audience.

Headlining the event, comedian and singer Kehinde Otolorin, also known as Kenny Blaq, delighted fans with a captivating combination of dance, music, and comedy.

Ahead of the event, he articulated his vision for the festival, stating, “Music and comedy have always been intertwined for me, and I aimed to create an event that highlights both in a unique way. This festival encourages people to embrace boldness and creativity while having fun.”

The festival’s theme centres around a positive interpretation of recklessness, celebrating courage, creativity, and authenticity. FirstBank enhanced the festive atmosphere with a fun booth, where attendees engaged in trivia games, received mementos, and took photos.

Olayinka Ijabiyi, acting group head of Marketing & Corporate Communications at FirstBank, expressed the bank’s commitment to delivering a ‘Wow December to Remember’ experience for all generations.

He noted, “FirstBank is facilitating memorable homecoming experiences this December for gatherings such as weddings, family reunions, and festivals.”

Ijabiyi emphasised FirstBank’s 130-year legacy of supporting the arts through its First@arts initiative, and he encouraged Nigerians to embrace the entertainment offerings through the DecemberIssaVybe campaign. He stated that FirstBank is dedicated to creating memorable experiences while considering the overall well-being of its customers.

With over 500 VIP tickets available for premium events valued between N15,000 and N50,000, the FirstBank #DecemberIssaVybe and #FirstBankIssaVybe giveaway fest is set to reward customers with access to exciting events across Lagos.

Nigerians eager to join in on the festivities can follow FirstBank on social media—Facebook: First Bank of Nigeria Limited, Instagram: @firstbanknigeria, and Twitter: @firstbankngr—to stay updated on ticket giveaways and experience the vibrant party atmosphere this season.

The much-anticipated timeless concert by David “Davido” Adeleke, unarguably one of Nigeria’s biggest music exports of all time, was an electrifying music showpiece that further reiterated the lofty height and growth that has defined the Nigerian Music industry in recent years as Nigeria’s premier banking giant, FirstBank once again, threw its weight behind Davido.

The Timeless Concert in Lagos was the climax to the treble of concerts to complement the 31 March 2023 launch of his fourth studio album, ‘Timeless’.

Before the Lagos concert, Davido performed at the Irvine Plaza in New York on 2 April 2023 and in London on 5 April 2023.

The 17-track project album has topped several charts, breaking and setting several records. Big amongst these was the recognition of the Timeless album as the first African album to hit Number 1, topping the US iTunes Albums Chart which is credited to be the world’s biggest music market. 

Davido the Timeless Concert in Lagos was indeed more than music, as it unified individuals from all works of lives, irrespective of tradition, culture, economic strata and nationalities.

Fans and music lovers trooped to the venue, the historical Tafawa Balewa Square, from far and wide to show their love and support for Davido, have fun, relax, connect and reunite. 

A show without a well-constructed stage is a no show as staging promotes the interaction and connection between the artistes and fans.

The Timeless stage, the biggest in West Africa and second biggest in Africa, was groundbreaking in both design and aesthetics. 

The beauty of the stage was reminiscent of the words of Canadian international bestseller, Yann Marte: “Nature can put on a thrilling show. The stage is vast, the lighting is dramatic, the extras are innumerable, and the budget for special effects is unlimited”.

These words simply depicted the nature, class and details applied to the construction of the Timeless stage as its exquisiteness was conspicuous during the day well ahead of the fall into the night when the concert took centre stage at Tafawa Balewa Square in Lagos, Nigeria’s commercial nerve centre. 

The hosts of the night, celebrity skit makers and comedians, KieKie and Mr Macaroni added spice to the event, as they thrilled fans to a more than music experience, whetting their appetite for the grand performance of the evening; who else but Davido. 

Timeless Concert was lit with a sensational performance by several leading artistes including, Asake, Mayorkun, Skiibii, Iyanya, B-Red, Pheelz, Fave, Spyro, Iyanya, Khaid. 

Other artistes that added spark to the night include Peruzzi, The Cavemen, Majeeed, Odumodublvck, Starboy Terri and May D, amongst many others. 

Expectedly, Davido’s entrance received a never-ending ovation as fans could not hold back their excitement of seeing him perform yet again. The Nigerian music legend and globally acclaimed music sensation’s well over two-hour electrifying performance on stage had his fans spellbound on several classical hits from previous albums and those from his most recent album, Timeless. 

The hits performed from his previous and most recent albums included, Skelewu, Dami Duro, Gobe, Aye, Unavailable, Over Dem All and Feel.

Davido also performed Electricity, a duet with Pheelz, a smash hit in 2022. 

A déjà vu of some sort to Davido fans, as FirstBank was the headline sponsor of Davido 30 billion concert in 2017. 

Also, as part of its yearly DecemberIssaVybe fiesta and supported events in 2021, the Bank sponsored ‘A Decade of Davido’ Concert, organised to celebrate 10 years of achievement of the Nigerian American pop singer and global music sensation. Fast forward to the Timeless concert in 2023, the Bank’s yearly DecemberIssavybe fiesta, no doubt came pretty early much as it is a long road to December from this month, April.

The bank’s dedication to going beyond functional products and benefits for its stakeholders and providing these types of enabling experiences sets it apart in the industry and solidifies its position as a leader in not just directly supporting the arts and entertainment industry but economically impacting its value chain.

Anyone not following the Bank is surely on a long thing but hey, it is never too late as there are still many exciting moments the Bank creates on its social media ecosystem via @firstbanknigeria (Instagram); @FirstBankngr (Twitter) and First Bank of Nigeria Limited (Facebook).

FirstBank’s support of Davido’s Timeless Concert is undoubtedly a curtain raiser as the bar has been raised for another back-to-back hit for the financial giant to create more memorable experience for its customers and social media followers in 2023 as the year fast edges into DecemberIssavybe due to hold in some 9 months’ time.