Nigeria: Dogs walk the runway in traditional costumes at Lagos carnival

Dogs walked the runway in traditional Nigerian costume as the annual Lagos Dog Carnival marked a celebration of all things dogs on Saturday.

Owners brought hundreds of canines to the festivities in the commercial capital. Organizer Jackie Idimogu said this year’s carnival theme was ‘Wazobia’, seeking to celebrate Nigeria’s heritage. 

“The importance of putting Lagos Dog Carnival together cannot even be put in one sentence, it means a lot to the dog dads and the dog mums because from January to December they don’t have anywhere that they go to specifically to celebrate their paw babies and when I say paw, I mean p-a-w, paw babies” Idimogu said.

Beyond the judged competitions, the event included pet care and training demonstrations, as well as advice on veterinary care and pet adoption. George Nnaoba, an architect and dog owner, said the educative side of the carnival was important. 

Fellow owner Didi Afe, an entrepreneur, described the atmosphere as “amazing” on her first time visiting the festival.

 Pomeranians, Cane Corsos and Siberian Husky were among the dogs on show, parading their outfits at the festival, which is in its fifth year.