The location of the celebratory ball had to be kept a secret. This was a queer event and in Nigeria, where same-sex relationships or public displays of affection are illegal, anything that is dedicated to embracing this culture is in danger. Marking Pride month in any way here is an act of defiance.
The organisers of the Fola Francis Ball – named in honour of a transgender woman who died last year - only released the venue details with just hours to go before it opened. But this did not deter the more than 500 people who turned up in a district close to the thriving waterfront area of Nigeria’s commercial heartland, Lagos. Around the gated venue were abandoned car parts and warehouses known for rave parties.
A thumping bassline could be heard through the door and crossing the threshold felt like stepping into an alternative reality. Inside was Lagos’s queer community, the venue, a cloak shielding them from the world outside. For safety reasons, many LGBTQ+ Nigerians use the word "queer" as a broad term to encompass their identities.
Excited chatter and laughter coursed through the air. This was the joy of shedding fear. Everyone was dressed to fit the neo-gothic theme.
In the dimly lit hall, strobe lights painted the skin of attendees in different colours. The flashes caught figures in different poses - a kaleidoscope of movement. Androgyny and eccentricity reigned supreme.
A woman with a shaved head and sparkling make-up strutted confidently next to a man in a flowing .