Nigeria Fashion Week - God vs Gay People

FEMALE SPEAKER: Welcome to Fashion Week International, a new show that reports on the most fabulous fashion weeks in the world, and the culture and politics behind them. We've saved the best until last, a fashion week in the capital city of chaos. This is Lagos, Nigeria. It's home to 8 or 15 or 18 million people, depending which census figure you believe. And like anywhere with a large population density, it's not without its troubles. Civil, state-sponsored homophobia, religious tension, and widespread corruption are among the many factors that have led to calls for the resignation of longstanding president, Goodluck Jonathan. MALE SPEAKER: Actually, such elements of society should be killed. FEMALE SPEAKER: With that in mind, we prepared ourselves for Nigeria Fashion Week with not a little trepidation. But like all the fabulous placed we've visited so far this series, we were sure we'd find something beautiful behind the depressing headlines. There are many different fashion weeks held throughout the year in Lagos. But we were here for what we were assured was the official Nigeria Fashion Week. First stop was the headquarters of the organizers, Legendary Gold. We've arrived at the Legendary Gold offices. And this is the hub of the fashion week. We're going to inside and get legendary services valuable as gold. The fantastically named Lexy Mojo-Eyes is the man in charge. He also looks like Don King, if Don King had gone into fashion. FEMALE SPEAKER: What does fashion mean to you? FEMALE SPEAKER: The models are assembled for a fitting session. And things were getting very naked. And so I went in search of the boys. MALE SPEAKER: (SINGING) Before you choose to use, before you choose to use, use your device so you don't have rain drops falling from your eyes. [INAUDIBLE]. Gonna have to pay the price, pay the price. FEMALE SPEAKER: In what way are you quirky? [LAUGHTER] [LAUGHTER] FEMALE SPEAKER: That's girly? FEMALE SPEAKER: I thought this was more serious. MALE SPEAKER: Becuase I love Africa. Africa is the best place to be. And when you come closer, you find out that we are friendly people, good people. For example, in Nigeria right now, are we not friendly? FEMALE SPEAKERS (IN UNISON): Welcome to Nigeria Fashion Week, [INAUDIBLE]. [CHEERING] FEMALE SPEAKER: The fashion itself was being held at a slightly rundown looking government building where Prince Charles himself had laid the first stone. It's quarter past 12:00. Which is a bit worrying, because the show is supposed to start at 12:00. And so far, there's no show. There's about six models backstage who still haven't had their hair and makeup done. And there's no audience. We went to check out the backstage progress. Tempers were already rising. FRED EBOKA: I told you, you sit here. Isn't it? You are going back this way. FEMALE SPEAKER: This way. FRED EBOKA: Yes, exactly. So you go now. And you follow. Come back. [INAUDIBLE] just stand here. That's what I tell you. I do not want drama. I don't want drama, because I'm full of drama. [LAUGHTER] FRED EBOKA: My standards mustn't go down because I'm in Nigeria. Standards should be the same to you all over the world. But for some reason-- FEMALE SPEAKER: It's not very good. FRED EBOKA: --I have to adapt myself to a certain degree. People can wait. And they have such patience. I don't have that kind of patience. Don't deny me attention. Otherwise I go very crazy and a drama, drama queen. FEMALE SPEAKER: However, Lexy didn't quite see the problem. FEMALE SPEAKER: If you want something to start at 12:00, you tell people to get there at 8:00 AM. [LAUGHTER] FEMALE SPEAKER: And sure enough, two hours after the first show was scheduled to begin, the glamorous crowds started to roll in, each one making sure to take a turn on the red carpet. MALE SPEAKER: Whoa! FEMALE SPEAKER: [INAUDIBLE]. FEMALE SPEAKER: Whoa! The thing just collapsed on me. Oh my God. It's going to fall off. So if I move, it's all over. But then they kill this beautiful lady. Go, let's go. FEMALE SPEAKER: Anyone got matches? FEMALE SPEAKER: This year's theme was going green. This is understandable given Lagos's critical pollution issues. Energy efficient light bulb hats and dresses made out of leaves ere made to look surprising elegant by the gorgeous girls. And the boy's helped out by donning what looked to be lederhosen made of hay. One designer who stood out was self-taught Dabo, who specialized in pairing recycled plastic and traditional fabrics with sexy results. FEMALE SPEAKER: I love this. Quite ***. Do people say to you, oh my God, Dabo? DABO: Yeah, Dabo [INAUDIBLE]. [LAUGHTER] FEMALE SPEAKER: I'm trying it. FEMALE SPEAKER: Look, they're all going to laugh at us. FEMALE SPEAKER: Whilst the girls maintained a professional front, the boys just seemed to be having a great time admiring their own beauty and other attributes. FEMALE SPEAKER: So the more hard you work, the bigger *** you have? FEMALE SPEAKER: Guys are more vain than girls. MALE SPEAKER: Yeah. FEMALE SPEAKER: I'll give it to you. FEMALE SPEAKER: If men wore makeup in the street, what would happen to them? FEMALE SPEAKER: It wasn't just social discrimination the gay community had to worry about. Homophobic sentiment had recently been enshrined in law. FEMALE SPEAKER: We'd met Datari, a fellow Englishman backstage, former stylist to UK boy bands such as Boyzone. He'd come to Lagos to pursue business opportunities. However, the recent developments meant he was considering going back to the UK. DATARI: If you're really camp, then trust me, you can't survive in Nigeria. Why do you think I wear shirts and hats all the time? I'm the butch, you know what I me? I wish I could train my voice. Because that's, like, a giveaway, you know what I mean? If you're gay, you either get killed, or you go to prison, you get disowned by your family. That's why most Nigerian celebs, or Nigerian guys go abroad to end up staying there and claiming asylum. Someone calls the police. And all of you get humiliated, put you on TV. No only are you out to the government. You're out to your family, to your friends. I mean, you've lived a lie all your life. And then all of a sudden, you're on TV for what? For being gay. Eventually, if you come out of prison, you can't even go back to your home town anymore because everyone knows about it. [INAUDIBLE] stoning you, calling you names. Trust me, you'll get caught. FEMALE SPEAKER: After meeting Datari and having him tell us how the majority of gay people in Niger have to conceal their sexuality for fear of going to prison, we started to wonder how many other people at this fashion event were hiding their true identity. BLESSED: Your face, you make it ugly. Yeah, you don't do it with your fine face. FEMALE SPEAKER: This is our friend Blessed, the hairdresser. FEMALE SPEAKER: From the moment we arrived, wherever we went, Blessed went too. To the extent that we could barely talk to anyone else. Off camera, he told us some surprising things about the gay community. He invited us to come visit his neighborhood so that he could talk a bit more freely. First, we met his mother and his nephew. And then he took us to some of his friends' houses. BLESSED: This is [INAUDIBLE] apartment. Yes. FEMALE SPEAKER: After that, he took us to the biggest street market in Lagos. BLESSED: We are in [INAUDIBLE] Market. FEMALE SPEAKER: This is one of the most hectic, overcrowded markets in the world, with thousands of people passing through it at all times. And then, Blessed too us somewhere he could confess a few things about his relationship with the fashion world. We're at a salon where Blessed used to work. And they're going to do my nails, because they need doing. Why did you become a hairdresser? FEMALE SPEAKER: But you are not gay, obviously. BLESSED: Don't say it. FEMALE SPEAKER: I won't say it. FEMALE SPEAKER: In the fashion industry? FEMALE SPEAKER: Lagos is a deeply God-fearing city, with the church having a firm hold over the population. Even some of the fashion photographers haven't quite reconciled their faith with the decadent display of flesh at the fashion week. All the models were, like, running around naked. How did it feel? Despite Justice's revelation that we're all going to hell, we return for the finale and caught up with some fellow sinners on the red carpet. Including my favorite, the stylish queen mother of Nigeria. FEMALE SPEAKER: I can tell. FEMALE SPEAKER: And then, Mr. Nigeria, Deji Bakare, who describes himself as a rapper and a singer. FEMALE SPEAKER: [LAUGHS]. What I love the most about Nigeria Fashion Week was how the designers and models celebrated traditional African beauty. There were no blonde hair weaves, no plastic surgery, limited influence by Western design. This was truly a celebration of pure Nigerian beauty. And backstage, it was a celebration of pure Nigerian chaos. This guy is the winner of Nigerian Big Brother 2011. His arrival backstage caused further chaos, with the models, their friends and hangers on all clamoring to get a private audience with their idol. FEMALE SPEAKER: But because this was the final show and so much was at state, the head of security was called to come and eject him from backstage. But instead, the security guy let him off in exchange for an autograph. FEMALE SPEAKER: And here he is thinking about it. Hm, maybe in a minute. Nah, I'll just get his autograph and let him stay. Despite the general madness, Nigeria Fashion Week ended on a high. But just as we thought our Nigerian fashion adventure was over, we were invited to this. Nigeria's Next Supermodel is a tribute to Tyra Banks's America's Next Top Model. Although we're not really sure if Tyra's ever actually seen it. It's run by Joan, former Miss Nigeria. JOAN: This is my house here on the left. And of course, the small bungalow is where we do a lot of our stuff for the girls. FEMALE SPEAKER: And they've been living there, have they? JOAN: Yeah, yeah. The girls have been here. FEMALE SPEAKER: That's [INAUDIBLE]. FEMALE SPEAKER: The dozen or so finalists in the contest had been living in her garage in Lagos, undergoing a sort of modeling boot camp. Along with her nephew, David. DAVID: Three, two, one, let's go. FEMALE SPEAKER: The finale of Nigeria's Next Supermodel was being help in a luxurious hotel on the [INAUDIBLE] of the lagoon. Here we are. We were here to witness the dreams of one young girl come true. So already this is very different from Nigeria Fashion Week. This is really kind of slick. It's a bit swanky. [INAUDIBLE]. FEMALE SPEAKER: The crowd promptly arrived dressed to be seen. FEMALE SPEAKER: After four hours of dress rehearsals, yelling, people being kicked out then let back in-- FEMALE SPEAKER: --the audience were finally allowed to take their seats. FEMALE SPEAKER: They waited another hour. The models finally emerged, only to exit the room immediately. We had no idea what was going on. But we figured it was best to follow the talent. Where are you going? FEMALE SPEAKER: We were in the venue. The audience arrived all in their glad rags. The models walk out, pile into this tiny van. And now they're going on a yacht. I don't know what the audience were thinking about the whole thing. Yeah, but we're all right. We've got the models. We've got them. We're going into this weird building, which looks like-- don't know. It's a very unusual situation. MR. PERFECT: One, two, three, four. FEMALE SPEAKER: Upon reaching the docks, Mr. Perfect, the choreographer, promptly engaged the models in a kind of military style marching [INAUDIBLE], all whilst wearing six inch heels. [INTERPOSING VOICES] FEMALE SPEAKER: How many times have you rehearsed? MR. PERFECT: Three times. FEMALE SPEAKER: Just three? MR. PERFECT: Yeah. We'll make it. [MUSIC PLAYING] FEMALE SPEAKER: Out on the deck of the yacht, looking around at these wonderful girls dancing under the enormous African sky, all worries we had about what the hell was going on disappeared. [CHEERING] [SINGING IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE] FEMALE SPEAKER: Of all the moments I've experienced on this first season of Fashion Week Internationale, from blackouts and bomb shelters in Islamabad, being eaten alive by mosquitoes on a cattle truck in Cambodia, and who can forgetting witnessing live *** surgery in Colombia? I think that being there on that yacht in Lagos was something that will stay with me forever. And that's why I momentarily lost control of my senses. [SINGING] Every night in my dreams-- FEMALE SPEAKERS (IN UNISON): [SINGING] I see you, I feel you. That is how I know you go on. All across the distance and spaces between us, you [INAUDIBLE] to show you go on. Near, far, wherever you are, I will believe that my heart will go on. Once more, you open the door. And you're here-- [AIR HORN] FEMALE SPEAKERS (IN UNISON): [SINGING] My heart will go on and on. [CHEERING] FEMALE SPEAKER: After all that time on the yacht, I'd almost forgotten what we were there for, until the contestants sprung into action. [MUSIC PLAYING] FEMALE SPEAKER: Before the final results were announced, Joan's nephew David took to the floor to performance a song he'd prepared specially for the occasion. [APPLAUSE] DAVID: [SINGING] [INAUDIBLE] can't you see? You were made to fly far above the clouds. You were made to fly. JOAN: These three girls are the ones that [INAUDIBLE]. [CHEERING] JOAN: Second runner up is [INAUDIBLE]. Ladies and gentlemen, the first runner up, [INAUDIBLE]! [CHEERING] [MUSIC PLAYING] [MUSIC PLAYING] [MUSIC PLAYING]