Nigerian billionaire and philanthropist Tony Elumelu has announced the cancellation of his renowned annual all-white Christmas party, choosing a period of reflection to honour the memory of six lives lost in a September fire at Lagos’s Afriland Towers.
Key Points:
The cancelled event is the “TOE All-White Party,” a high-profile social tradition scheduled for December 23rd.
The decision directly honours six staff members who died in a fire at Afriland Towers on Broad Street, Lagos, in September.
Elumelu and his wife, Dr. Awele Elumelu, stated the season will be dedicated to remembering and holding space for the victims.
The announcement was made via Elumelu’s Instagram story, addressing friends and regular guests.
The businessman affirmed the party’s return is planned for December 23, 2026.
Elumelu is Chairman of UBA and Heirs Holdings, and founder of The Tony Elumelu Foundation.
The move shifts a major social calendar event into a private act of communal mourning.
This cancellation underscores how private grief can reshape public ritual, as a symbolic celebration gives way to a more profound acknowledgment of shared loss.
Sources: The Cable, Business Day