The 2024 Pride month was a great time at Obodo Nigeria as we worked towards community building and bringing together members of the LGBTQ+ community and allies alike, providing them with a comfort zone to find community and experience joy.

Below are some of the things we were a part of:

Pride in Provincetown

We started off Pride at Provincetown, USA where we had an art exhibition at the Provincetown Pride Center, sponsored by Fishers Island Lemonade. We showcased works by Nigerian artists, including Freddie Jacob and Rachel Seidu. This exhibition introduced the works of these artists to an international audience staying true to our mission in providing a space for arts.

Pride Trivia

We held a pride trivia a few days into the month on Instagram where winners won merchandise, shopping vouchers, cash prizes, and ballroom tickets. This was our way of giving back to the community we work for, especially during a difficult time when many queer Nigerians are looking for ways to take care of themselves.

Open Mic Night

There are queer talents everywhere you go, and we often do not get to see them perform or in the spotlight because of how visible they are or the queerphobia in a lot of places. However, with the open mic night, we created an opportunity for queer people to showcase their talents. From music, spoken word, poetry, and other performances, guests were entertained by the amazing talents.

Yahaya’s Art n Soul

As part of the Queer Artist Fund (QAF) Cohort, Bola Yahaya held an artist talk, workshop, and a healing circle, inviting his wider community to come and hear him talk about his project as a cohort member, why it is important, and how it ties into queerness. The workshop also introduced guests to tie and dye techniques as they also did a little work of their own, while the healing circle created a space for bonding, trauma dumping, and meditation.

Somatic Grief & Workshop

Exploring somatic practices helps us connect to our body and gives us the chance to properly listen to it, and with our commitment to being an all-round safe space, we invited people to explore somatic practices for processing grief. As queer Nigerians and allies, we’re usually consumed with lots of grief which comes in different forms, and it was impactful having people connect, share, and ask questions.

Pride Souq

Rarely do we have opportunities for queer business owners to be together to sell their goods and render services while receiving support from members of their community. With the Pride Souq, however, we created an environment to discover small businesses within the community and support them, while also having fun. We had some businesses that were introduced to new consumers and had an unforgettable experience.

Cocktail Party

Pride month ended with us being part of a cocktail party where we met with allies and members of the community for a night of drinks, a mini-exhibition featuring works of selected artists, and music.

Through our events in Pride month, we provided a haven free from fear, while reminding members of the community that they aren’t alone.