Annual Saviours’ Day drill competition excites the crowd

By Anisah Muhammad -Contributing Writer- | Last updated: Feb 20, 2019 - 12:22:15 PM

CHICAGO—The Nation of Islam’s annual Saviours’ Day Drill Competition took place February 16 at the McCormick Place here.

Drill, as described by the Nation of Islam, is the exercise of the Gods. Its purpose is to instill discipline and to teach the idea of moving as a unit.

Like previous years, the competition started with students from Muhammad University of Islam praying in Arabic. Rapper Neelam Hakim followed with a performance of her song “I’ll Be the King.”

The competition was co-hosted by Ilia Rashad Muhammad from Memphis and Qadir Hakim, also known by his rap name “Goalden Chyld.”

“This is no anger type of competition. You’re looking at different brothers and sisters from different cities, but they’re all one team,” Ilia Muhammad said.

The categories by which teams were judged were military posture, creativity, precision, degree of difficulty, appearance and the voice of the drill instructor.

Judges consisted of student MGT and FOI captains, student ministers and former drill champions.

“If we call it righteous competition, we can’t perform niggardly,” Qadir Muhammad said.

The Jr. MGT of the Nation of Islam were the first up to perform. Teams from Detroit, Miami, Chicago and Atlanta lit up the crowd.

Teams have three minutes to perform. At two minutes and 45 seconds, a warning is given. If they go past the three-minute mark, they are penalized.

Jr. FOI teams from Houston, Los Angeles and Miami were next on the stage, followed by MGT from Richmond, Va., and Detroit.

“What you are witnessing are those fighting and standing in ranks and making walls,” Ilia Muhammad said.

The Vanguard is a highly contested category every year. Teams from Newark, Atlanta and Chicago performed their drill routine. Following them were FOI from Detroit, New York and Chicago.

After the drill executions, martial artists demonstrated during intermission, the period when the judges deliberate about winners. The intermission also included a rap cypher featuring Goalden Chyld, AK47 and Kenny Muhammad, also known as the Nation of Islam “Human Beat Box.”

First place winners were Chicago Jr. MGT, Houston Jr. FOI, Detroit MGT, Chicago Vanguard and Chicago FOI.

Ruqaya Muhammad competed on the Chicago Vanguard team. In the past, she competed as a Jr. MGT.

“I got on the Vanguard team. This my first time drilling with them. I was very nervous because I’ve never drilled with a hat on,” she said.

She said when she’s on the stage, nothing goes through her head.

“I literally zone everything out,” she said.

Lakeisha Muhammad from Houston was attracted to the energy and the spirit of all of the drillers.

“Just to see them gave me tears to know that we are here to push forward and represent the Minister and let the Minister know we got his back. He got some warriors,” she said.

JR. VANGUARD