By Ahusemere Monday Ogbeide
Nigeria as a nation is the most populous black Country in the World, with a population of more than 190 million people; it has more than 250 ethnic groups, over 500 languages, and many distinct religious, regional, and communal differences, as It’s one of the World’s most culturally diverse Country but united despite facing many challenges threatening its existence and progress.
Its people hold in high esteem these cultures, religions, and traditional beliefs despite speaking different languages as it will not trade the unity, peace, Culture, tradition, and faith for anything else but mindful of Western powers encouraging other nations, especially in Africa, to embrace LGBTIQ using it as a link and connecting bridge to gain favour from the civilized nation which will, in turn, create rought to pull struggling and undeveloped Countries out of its woes pushing it to the path of prosperity and progress.
This ought to be a perfect time for Nigeria to catch in on the opportunity provided by Western and developed nations to accept the practice of homosexuality, including gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and Same-Sex Marriage, which will promote inclusion, equality and diversity and be favoured to get economic ties with these nations, eventually leading to growth and development and to put the Country in the World map as a safe destination for LGBTIQ investors and their likes, and a nation friendly to LGBTIQ.
Instead of embracing the new Culture of the Western World and help in promoting inclusion, equality, and diversity in Africa, using it as a platform to put Nigeria on the path of economic development and growth, former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan signed a bill criminalizing LGBTIQ in Nigeria. The act further pushed the nation far from the favour of Western-allied, who would have given Nigeria a soft spot helping it to move ahead of other African Countries by creating economic opportunities.
Signing the anti-homosexual bill into law has put the already marginalized and stigmatized LGBTIQ members and supporters in confusion and severe danger. It provides a gateway for the notorious alleged corrupt security services to extort, exploit and blackmail LGBTIQ and its members. The harsh law undermines basic universal freedoms that Nigeria has fought to defend. It was a throwback to past decades under the military junta when civil rights were treated with contempt and social activism, and activists were constrained in their activities.
The Africa Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights stated in 2006 that the guarantee of equal protection extends to sexual orientation. The harsh law contradicts The Africa Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, which guarantees the right to freedom of expression (article 9), freedom of association (article 10), and freedom of assembly (article 11), and the equality of all people (article 2 and 3). Article 26 prescribes: “Every individual shall have the duty to respect and consider his fellow beings without discrimination, and to maintain relations aimed at promoting safeguarding, and reinforcing mutual respect and tolerance.”
This is the most repressive law limiting these fundamental rights since the end of the junta rule in 1999. Since the signing of the harsh law, many LGBTIQ members and supporters have lost their jobs, lost their families, and friends as the Country is no longer safe for them and their families; the marginalized and discriminated law has taken away their fundamental human rights, freedom of association, freedom of expression and freedom to practice their sexual orientation and are likely to suffer undue hardship, further harassment and persecution, unlawful arrest and detention, prosecution and more killings in their own Country.
The ruling political class believes that the practice of homosexuality is a culture of the West, and religious leaders think that it’s against God’s will, plan, and commandments for man. Traditional leaders believe that homosexuality is against the Culture, tradition, and beliefs of the people as it is born out of evil spirits. They all commended and appreciated the government for the new law but for a stiffer penalty like death.
Our political leaders who choose to dislike the habit and the support of LGBTIQ freedom went further to criminalize it and put the LGBTIQ Community in disarray and dangerous situation, exposing them to all forms of dehumanizing acts, broader the space for arrest and installing harsh punishments for members and supporters of LGBTIQ; however, some of these so-called leaders secretly engaged in this acts but condemned it openly, this is the hypocrisy of the highest order. Many of them who oppose the freedom of LGBTIQ in our society secretly indulge in homosexuality. We know them and will soon start naming them if they fail to use their power and position to rescue and secure our lives in Nigeria, allowing LGBTIQ to live and flourish in our land.
Our politicians, religious and traditional leaders forbid the Western Culture but embrace Western education as they send their children and wards to the West for educational purposes. At the same time, they travel for medical adventures when they fall ill, and some of them also use ill-gotten wealth to acquire properties in the Western World and use these as a hiding ground for the siphoning of our commonwealth.
Our religious and fanatic leaders who trade their messages and miracle services for money can not be said to be working by the word of God, as God’s love has no limitations and exclusivity. From Genesis 1:26, God created man in his image and likeness. In the book of Isaiah, Psalm, Matthew, Acts, and Galatians, God shows his love for all, including LGBTIQ; no true religious leaders or believers of God have the power to decide the faith of anyone. Power belongs to God.
Our traditional leaders, who are the custodian of our Culture and values, should understand that values are not limited to their understanding, and they should learn to accommodate other people’s way of life and their distinct nature. Human beings are blessing from God and should be treated with love and respect, not hatred, because of their sexual orientation. The LGBTIQ life is beyond the Culture or lifestyle of any Community, Society or Nation. It’s God’s nature to design people of distinct – Isaiah 64:8; Ephesian 4:25; Matthew 10: 29 – 31; Psalm 139: 13 – 14. LGBTIQ members and their advocates should be free and live like everyone else in Nigeria.
The nation has declared war on LGBTIQ members and supporters through the signing of the SSMPA; there is a war against our existence, safety, and well-being, as many LGBTIQs have been injured, hospitalized, arrested, detained unlawfully, persecuted, prosecuted, and even killed. The recent arrest of six gay men by the Nigerian police force last year was widely reported by National dailies and reports of increased arrests and unlawful detention across the nation of LGBTIQ supporters and its members. The Human Rights Watch interview on 20 October 2016 was another bold testimony that revealed the adverse effect of the SSMPA.
There have been several local and international media reports to show that Nigeria is not safe for them. In February 2016, Daily Post reported, “Gay wedding: Police interrupt Union, arrest couple in Abuja”. The hostile environment created by this inhuman law that opposes the existence of LGBTIQ members and their supporters must be abolished to make room for a free and flourishing society where inclusion is promoted, equality is encouraged, and diversity is respected.
The Western World is not doing enough to protect the suffering of the LGBTIQ members in this part of the World. They must lead by action by bringing severe sanctions on all our political, religious, and traditional leaders to enable them to rethink their actions, thoughts and hatred towards members and supporters of LGBTIQ.
As a group and body of LGBTIQ, we call on the West to impose restrictions on our leaders and their families as they live pretentiously and preach what they don’t practice. Ironically, most leaders sponsor their families and children to the West to acquire quality education. At the same time, they travel for healthcare and enjoy other social amenities but come home to condemning LGBTIQ as Western Culture.
Members and lovers of the LGBTIQ Community are appealing to the International Community to come to their rescue as their lives are no longer safe in Nigeria; the nation has criminalized homosexuality, with about 14-year jail terms for offenders but yet corrupt leaders that have put the Country into retrogression through their corrupt nature and practices as they should have been in jail but are still walking the streets free, enjoying their loot from the nation’s treasury and supervising the injustice by the evil and bribe-seeking security services, done to LGBTIQ members in Nigeria.
Nigeria must be sanctioned with a stiffer penalty for passing the draconian law to erase the existence of LGBTIQ members and supporters from the Country. This will also help to stop the humiliation, harassment, injury, persecution, arbitrary arrest, detention, and death of LGBTIQ members. Lovers and members of the LGBTIQ Community are calling on the Global community to help ensure Nigeria are safe for LGBTIQ members and supporters.
