In the early months of 2024, Benjamin Santos Genta penned an essay in Aeon titled, “Metaphors make the world.” In the piece, he examines the notion that metaphors influence our reaction and perception of reality. So if we change the metaphor, you could possibly reshape the direction of a discussion. It is a form of linguistic relativity, a theory that most linguists argue is not the most solid. Nevertheless, the way Southerners often refer to the North of Nigeria has shaped our biases against them. The community behind Kaduna’s first Alté party hopes to reframe this.
BEHIND KADUNA’S FIRST ALTE PARTY:
“We have bad PR, I know. Plus, people can’t really tell the difference between the K states of Nigeria,” David Deeglo, creative director of Alté Connect, says on an Instagram call. At 24, Deeglo has his hands full with work, as he is a programme coordinator, product designer, and a few other things that he manages on the side. He has always followed his heart, which is how he ended up in Kaduna; it is also how he became a pioneer of the first Alté community in Northern Nigeria.
Born in the Southern state of Onitsha, Anambra, Deeglo moved around a lot as a kid. His family lived in Benue before eventually moving to Kaduna, or Croc City as its inhabitants call it. For Deeglo, this was love at first sight. In his words, Kaduna was urban and friendly. But that wasn’t his favourite part. “I love that it is a growing city. Over the last five years, I have witnessed new initiatives, and I can’t help but feel like a part of history as I watch these changes unfold. Plus, it is social,” he expresses.
He was only 17 when he found out that his parents would be making their beloved habit of moving out of the city. As a university student, he made his first attempt at exercising agency; he told his parents he wasn’t living. They readily accepted his stance, and he was happy with it, until the 2020 lockdown. He was bored and lazy, so he sought out a community to join. “It started with the music, that’s Kaduna music for you. It slowly takes over and becomes your personality. Next thing I knew, I was preaching the Alté gospel.”
He found a community among a bunch of guys, “I was really happy to find people who listen to Odunsi [The Engine] and Cruel Santino.” One of the guys, from the bunch, happened to be 22 years old, Dylan Tony, founder of Alté Connect [Kaduna].
Tony had been building an Alté platform for a while, with plans to host an event the following year. “I started this Alté community in Kaduna to create a space where creatives can express themselves freely and embrace individuality,” Tony explains.
A year after the lockdown, Tony realised that there could be more to community hangouts. There could be spotlights and celebrations. “We want to create a platform where our home-based artists will connect with a wider audience across the city of Kaduna.”
Deeglo further expands on the need for a Kaduna music takeover. “Every state has a unique sound; Lagos is heavy on Afrobeats, Abuja has hip-hop, and the East is introducing drill music. Kaduna is no different, but it will sound unfamiliar to you. That’s because it is not mainstream… it’s Alternative.”
He laughs, it is cheeky, a gotcha joke, but that’s all he wants it to be, a joke because he has to make Kaduna more mainstream. “We hope one day, we will be able to pull Alté heavyweights like Cruel Santino. Teeze, OD, etc, to the north.”
There’s more to the north, and he also reveals that there is more to Alté Connect than the ongoing preparations to host the first Alté party on the 17th of August at ARC Barnawa, GRA.
MAKING ALTE CONNECT:
Tony and Deeglo admit that while Alté Connect is the first party of its kind in the North, they also acknowledge that this is not its first edition.
Alté Connect was founded in December 2022. The timeline coincided with the Lagosians’ Detty December, a phenomenon that the duo are intrigued by. “We actually want that for Kaduna. Like, does Detty December have to be strictly in Lagos? Why can’t you enjoy a piece of December in several locations, some not in the same state?” Deeglo pitches.
After all, Abuja citizens swear the state is just as fun as Lagos, and Kaduna is only a two-hour train ride from the Buj. Deeglo believes this would transform the Kaduna entertainment scene, “There’s a bit of clique formation, we want to decentralise this.”
This aligns with the plans for 2025’s edition of Alté. “It is our return since 2022. We have learned a lot, and we are giving our all for this because this is a precursor to our December 2025 hangout.”
Deeglo and Tony are laying the groundwork for a new era of entertainment in Kaduna, one that they plan to elevate to the pedestal of fame if necessary. Deeglo jokes that there are many differences between the Southerners and Kaduna. However, there are universal similarities between Nigerian regions. “I have heard of Lagos time, but did you know there’s also Kaduna time?”
He proceeds to discuss the inability of Kaduna residents to be punctual. He argues it’s worse, stating that 2 pm is equivalent to 6 pm in Kaduna. “We have fashion people too, they take inspiration from the Alté aesthetics they see, but it has undergone a transformation and they’ve created their versions of the Alté look.”
Kaduna is growing and reshaping its culture, so the Alté Connect team urge you to put on your wig, heels, lashes, and take the train to the Crocodile City to meet the cool kids of Kaduna… and if you can’t make it, Deeglo made you a playlist of all the Kaduna artists you should be listening to.