The crowd had come prepared, dressed in statement fits that fit the expressiveness the music amplified. There was rigorous voguing and even a dance battle in front of the DJ booth reminiscent of Blade’s bloody intro scene. People were still pouring in past the official closing time. But as exhilarating as the night looked from the outside, raving is not always pure ecstasy, especially for those building it from within.

BUMPIANA! began at the end of a three-day DJ workshop hosted by 96 Channels last September. The programme was one of the media company's forays into electronic music, alongside documentaries, releases, and broadcasts on the now-inactive Oroko Radio. Towards the end of the workshop, participant Nabilat Usman, aka STIRFRY, conceived a showcase that would allow the newly trained DJs to put their skills before a live audience. With little more than enthusiasm to work with, she developed the event alongside the facilitator, Pasta, designed the flyers, and spread the word. Friends came and had a wild time and BUMPIANA!’s success transformed it into a monthly affair. 

So far, the party has had five editions, including a pop-up with Nocturna in Calabar. The team remains committed to experimentation and intends to deliver improving experiences. As STIRFRY puts it, “I want that whenever anyone talks about BUMPIANA!, they can say, ‘This one was way better than the last one, and I had way more fun.’”