The beautiful ones are here!

It was truly a night of splendour as guests and dignitaries walked in majestically. The beautiful hall, the bright lights, the paparazzi all added glamour to the occasion. The audience were exceptionally very attractive and the hall could hardly contain them. A second look at the entire event will classify it as another Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria (MBGN) Pageant, especially with the presence of the television crew from Silverbird Entertainment – the organizers of the MBGN Contest.

It was truly a special occasion, as it was the first of its kind in the history of the most populous black nation in the world that boasts of over 120 million people with 5.0% HIV prevalence rate and almost 4 million people living with HIV & AIDS (PLWHA). It was a night that the organisers and the participants will always remember; it was the opening night of the one-week photo exhibition tagged – “Positive Faces” organised by Treatment Action Movement (TAM), Lagos and Medicine Sans Frontieres (MSF), Lagos which was held at the Terra Kulture – the Nigerian Cultural Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos, on Friday, September 15, 2006.

It is a known fact that denial of the truth about HIV & AIDS, stigma and discrimination against PLWHA are major factors responsible for the increase in the spread of HIV infection in the country and these have continued to undermine the tremendous efforts by the major stakeholders in promoting HIV & AIDS prevention, testing, treatment and most importantly behaviour change. This situation is further worsened when people deny the reality of HIV & AIDS just because they have not seen a person living with HIV & AIDS.

The need to address these challenges and also promote the availability and efficacy of HIV treatment is what prompted TAM and MSF to organise the photo exhibition which was a great success in all ramification. The most beautiful people at the occasion were the PLWHA in the photo portraits who volunteered for such a public event. The courage and boldness expressed by everybody in the portrait is rather outstanding and has contributed greatly to eroding denial and demystifying stigma and discrimination against PLWHA.

Events like this are needed in Nigeria if we have to stop the spread of HIV infection and begin to reverse the cases of AIDS in the country. Definitely, PLWHA coming out to talk openly about their status and share real life experiences for the benefit of others are indeed the beautiful ones!

If we intensify our efforts against stigma and discrimination against PLWHA, I believe that one day in this great country, an openly positive person will win the coveted crown as the MBGN – it could be the next edition!

Mayowa Joel
Treatment Action Movement (TAM), Lagos
Phone - +234 803 334 5378
Email - mayowajoel@yahoo.com