VARIOUS: Miss World contest moved to London moved to london after two hundred people die in riots and religious clashes caused by 'anti Islamic' newspaper article

Record ID: 481001

  • Title: VARIOUS: Miss World contest moved to London moved to london after two hundred people die in riots and religious clashes caused by 'anti Islamic' newspaper article
  • Date: 6th December 2002
  • Summary: (L1) KADUNA, NIGERIA (RECENT) (REUTERS) SMV FOUR MEN CARRYING A STRETCHER WITH A DEAD BODY ON IT COVERED WITH GREEN LEAVES SLV POLICEMAN WALKING PAST PARTIALLY HACKED BODY OF MAN LYING ON GROUND CLOSE OF POLICEMAN'S GUN VARIOUS OF PEOPLE MOVING OUT OF THEIR HOMES, CARRYING THEIR PROPERTY/ POLICEMAN SUPERVISING
  • Embargoed: 21st December 2002 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: ABUJA, KADUNA, CALABAR, LAGOS, SOKOTO, ZAMFARA AND KANO, NIGERIA / GATWICK AIRPORT, LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM
  • City:
  • Country: United Kingdom Nigeria
  • Topics: People
  • Reuters ID: LVA8XJIGXMVNAPE9SK9UNLW6ZM72
  • Story Text: After less than two weeks in Nigeria, Miss World contestants and organisers gave up and decided to move the extravagant event to London. Muslim protest and religious clashes forced the decision, and left Nigerians behind wondering if they have not missed an opportunity to boost the country's image with foreign investors.
    The fighting lasted for less than a week. But two hundred people lay dead before Nigerian security forces could restore order in the northern city of Kaduna.
    Ten days earlier, beauty queens from ninety-three countries had arrived in Nigeria for the Miss World contest of 2002.
    It had been a close call for the Nigerian government and the pageant's organizers.
    At that time, it was the existence of eight-month-old Wasila Kurami that threatened to scuttle Nigeria's bid to host the event.
    As soon as Wasila can eat solid foods her mother Amina Lawal Kurami may be stoned to death for having a baby outside marriage.
    Amina is just one of four people sentenced to death under the strict Islamic code of Sharia - practiced in twelve of Nigeria's northern states.
    Amina's case sparked international outrage and boycott threats by over half of the Miss World contestants.
    The Nigerian government promised no one would be stoned for adultery and so the show could go on.
    "The government has a right to say what it wants to say, what they feel like saying, but we do not in anyway want this case to be politicized in anyway because it is life and death," says Amina's lawyer, Hauwa Ibrahim.
    And the show did go on. One after the other, Miss World contestants arrived in Abuja, marching on the red carpet and waving at the officials who came to greet them. For these beauty queens, taking part in the contest was actually a show of support to Amina.
    "I doubted whether to come at first because very little information was coming out about it, but then I heard the latest outcome in the case and thought I should come and everybody told me to come because it helps Amina more than not to come," says Miss Norway, Kathrine Sorland.
    "If we can draw attention to this beautiful part of the world and to Amina's case while we're here then it really is beauty with a purpose," says Miss Australia, Nicole Gazal.
    The pageant was a great opportunity to boost the country's image with foreign investors.
    The contest could also attract visitors to cultural festivals like this boat regatta of southeastern Nigeria's Efik people. Tourism is one way the Nigerian government hopes to reduce its economic dependence on crude oil earnings.
    But the country's fundamentalist Muslims presented another major threat to the event. The final show had originally been set to hold during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan. After complaints from Muslim groups, the date was shifted to December 7th, after the end of Ramadan.
    But even then, many Muslims still opposed to the pageant in general. While Islam advocates that women dress modestly and not seek attention, the Miss World contest is about almost the opposite values.
    The winner will be chosen by various criteria. These young women will be judged for their physical attractiveness, public relations skills, and social awareness.
    "You are just like a prostitute then, and we don't promote prostitution in Nigeria," says Musa Omar, a Lagos resident.
    "So that is why I think some of my colleagues were unhappy, and they were very vocal about it. Even among Christians, it is forbidden, no-one is allowed to show off their body," he added.
    And finally, it was this newspaper article that transformed general disapproval into violent protest.
    In the column, the writer jokes and says that if Prophet Mohammed were alive, he might well have chosen one of the contestants as a wife.
    Incensed Muslim youths went on a rampage, destroying churches and attacking Christian neighborhoods and homes in Kaduna, a Sharia state and home to many of the country's Muslim scholars.
    "If the government does not take action when Muslims are offended then they are justified to take whatever action they see fit," said Aminu Bashir, a businessman in Kaduna.
    "We believe in Mohammed," said Muslim Businessman Alhaji Gombe. "He is the messenger of God, and even their Jesus that they worship, we know he is a prophet. We can not say anything against him."
    And the violence continued for almost a week. Soon Christian resident retaliated, turning many enclaves of the city into virtual battle zones. Policemen and soldiers were hard pressed to contain the fighting.
    The contest was cancelled. It was a bitter blow for organizers who had invested millions of dollars in the event.
    "We understand the differences, we understand too there's elections coming up, but that's not us, we are not a political football we shouldn't be used as one," said Chief Organizer of Miss World, Julia Morley. "You all know Miss World had nothing to do with the riot, you all know being here, that we had nothing to do with it, but it makes a good headline, and the problem with the world today is we look for headlines, not for truth."
    Isioma Daniel, the infamous columnist has fled Nigeria. A Fatwa or death sentence was pronounced on her in the northern Sharia State of Zamfara.
    It was to have been Nigeria's biggest showbiz event yet, and for some a sign that things were starting to change for the better.
    "We've really lost a lot, in terms of our reputation, and even revenue for the government. It's not good," said Bimpe Ogunjobi, a Lagos resident. "Our reputation with foreigners is just not good. The negative perception about Nigeria needs to be erased. It really needs to be erased."
    "We had a privilege, but we've thrown it away to another country,"said Onikoyi Eso. "Many countries would have loved to host this event, but God gave us the chance, and we didn't know how to use it."
    There may not be a direct link between the killings and the failed beauty contest. But Nigeria has been polarized along religious and ethnic lines long before Miss World came calling. The organizers and government took a huge risk by attempting to stage such a controversial event in Nigeria's volatile atmosphere.
    The contest may have moved on but it opened a Pandora's box in its wake. Its only accomplishment is highlighting how tenuous Nigeria's hold on democracy and development really is.
    A new Miss World will be crowned in London in a few weeks time.
    And a few months later, Wasila Kurami may lose her mother.
    She neither knows nor cares about high profile entertainment extravaganzas. But she does know and need her mother.
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