Fola Francis, a prominent Nigerian transgender model, fashion designer, and LGBT activist, met an untimely demise as she drowned on December 20, 2023, at IIashe beach in Lagos.
The news was announced by Vincent Desmond, a freelance journalist and close associate of Fola.
Desmond expressed the profound impact Fola had as a beacon of hope and a source of inspiration, not only to the LGBTQ+ community but to a wider audience.
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Fola Francis made history as the first Nigerian transgender to grace the runway at the Lagos Fashion Week, showcasing for renowned brands such as Cute-Saint and Fruché.
“Fola Francis was a beacon of hope and a light to us and a lot of other people. We are deeply hurt by her passing.
“There will be a memorial which will be discussed at a later date, as we her friends and family ask for privacy at this time,” he disclosed.