Raves are already known for loud music, unusual outfits and people dancing until sunrise, but sometimes, the real entertainment has nothing to do with the DJ and everything to do with the ravers. 

We asked five Nigerians to share the wildest things they’ve witnessed at a rave, from pocket kittens to questionable homemade cocktails. Here’s what they said.

“I met a raver with a pocket full of cats” — Vanessa*, 29, F

It was my first rave, and I felt a little too shy to dance, so I stood in a corner, bobbing my head. Then a tall guy in glasses walked up to me and shouted over the music, “Do you want to dance with a cat?” I thought he was joking, but I nodded anyway. He reached into the pocket of his giant trench coat and pulled out a kitten. Then I heard more meowing from inside his coat. I’m sure he probably had a few more kittens in there. I spent the rest of the night dancing with the cat on my shoulder. Somehow, it really helped me get comfortable.

At the end of the night, I found the guy and returned his kitten. It was a strange but great night.

“She came with an IV still in her arm” — Dami*, 26, M

I once saw a lady at a rave with an IV still taped to her hand. I overheard her telling her friends she’d already paid for the ticket and couldn’t let her money go to waste. I was genuinely concerned, but she stayed until almost sunrise. I’ve never seen anyone more determined to get their money’s worth.

“My friends saw sex on the dancefloor” — Aisha*, 24, F

I didn’t see this myself, but my friends gave me the gist. They said they saw a heterosexual couple basically having sex on the dance floor. At first, they thought they were imagining it because they were really faded and tired from a night of dancing. Then they realised it was really happening. That’s the craziest thing I can imagine seeing on a night out. Can’t you get a room?

“I witnessed the worst cocktail in the world” — James*, 33, M

I was waiting in a long queue to get into a rave, when I noticed some younger people in front of me. One of them poured wine, lacoco and sachet gin into a cup, then topped it off with yoghurt. Obviously, the yoghurt curdled immediately, and the drink looked disgusting, but the guy downed it in one gulp. 

What made it weird was hearing the guy tell his friends that yoghurt is his secret to avoiding getting too wasted. I was just glad I’d outgrown those bootleg mixologist shenanigans.

“I saw my first four-way kiss” — Deji*, 31, M

At the very first rave I attended in 2024, I saw a four-way kiss for the first time. I actually thought it was four people whispering to each other and wondered how they could hear anything over the music. Then a beam of light hit their direction, and I realised they were having a buccal meet-and-greet. I’m curious about how that kind of kiss works, but not curious enough to try it myself.

“A stranger gave me his house keys” — Michael*, 27, M

I was dancing when a guy I’d never met asked, “Are you still here?” I nodded, and before I could ask why, he grabbed my hand and pressed a bunch of keys into it. He shouted, “I’m coming back,” then disappeared into the crowd.

I held onto the keys for almost three hours. When I tried to leave, I remembered that this stranger might be locked out of his house because of me, so I stayed a little longer. He eventually returned and looked shocked that I was still there. He hugged me, collected the keys and walked away without even asking my name. I still wonder what his backup plan was if I had gone away with his keys.

“She came to the rave with her mum” — Janet*, 26, F

At one rave, I hit it off with a babe, and we danced together for a bit. When I wanted to get some water, she offered to go with me. That was when I noticed a third, older lady with us. I assumed she was my new friend’s older sister, but she laughed and told me she was her mum. I was surprised, I didn’t think our parents’ generation would be interested in the rave scene. 

Honestly, her mum didn’t look very comfortable, but she seemed curious. She also didn’t dance with us, but towards the end of the night, I saw her moving her head to the beat.

“My friend kissed a couple” — Aanu*, 29, F

While we were dancing the night away, my friend made out with a babe on the dance floor and, shortly after, kissed a guy. I thought they were two separate events until she told me the babe and the guy were a couple. She said neither of them knew about the other, and I was so surprised. I didn’t know the streets were getting freaky like that.

“I saw someone pass out on the dance floor” — Dennis*, 27, M

I was dancing and minding my business when the guy in front of me suddenly passed out.  He looked so out of it that I panicked that something had happened to him. Thankfully, his friends were around. They picked him up, took him to a corner and started fanning him. Once  I saw that he was with his people, I turned my attention back to the DJ spinning fire.

“There was a lap dance on the dance floor” — Dunmo*, 29, F

My very first rave left me shocked at every turn. I didn’t expect to see people let loose so completely. They touched and danced with each other so freely. What shocked me the most was seeing a guy in thongs give someone else a lap dance in the middle of the packed dance floor.

I wanted to stop and wonder what was happening there, but the music was too good to ignore for long.

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