Over the last week or so, I have been following the story and chatting with gay Nigerians in Lagos, New York and London – all of whom are deeply upset and disgusted by recent developments. We will be following the story and Black Gay Men’s Blog is 100% committed to supporting the fight against against this bill and homophobia in Africa, in whatever way we can. You don’t have to be Nigerian or of Nigerian heritage to get involved, this is a human rights issue and as far as I am concerned, the fight for human rights is a global issue. So, I urge all of you to make your voices heard. This is not just about gay marriage(I doubt most Nigerians in Nigeria were even thinking about getting married), this is about the freedom to be who you are, this is about the freedom and right to love, this is about being able to meet friends and loved ones for a drink, without the fear of being locked up. This is about members and supporters of the LGBT community doing and fighting for what is right!
To President Goodluck Jonathan,
My name is Ifeanyi Orazulike, and I am not illegal.
As a Nigerian citizen, and a public health advocate, I call upon you to stop the draconian, anti-human rights, anti- HIV/AIDS prevention and un-democratic legislation just passed by the national Senate.
If this bill is approved Nigeria will place itself outside the community of democratic nations, in a moment in which the country is facing serious internal and external anti-democratic threats. The implications of the bill with its recent modification would affect tireless and long years of work in the protection and promotion of human rights, HIV/AIDS prevention, and the entrenchment of democracy in our country.
As the elected guardian of the human and civil rights of ALL Nigerians, I urge you to show respect for the diversity in our great democracy, and refuse to sign this bill.
Respectfully,
Ifeanyi Kelly Orazulike
Director, International Center for Advocacy on Right to Health (ICARH)
Please Join Ifeanyi & GET INVOLVED – Petition to Nigerian President
Nigeria is the most populous country in Africa and it is a country with extremely deep religious ties and a colonial past. It is not easy for most people, in countries like the USA or the UK, to understand the complexities of life for a gay man in Nigeria. Unfortunately, we are dealing with a situation, where the lines between State and religion are blurred. When that happens, basic Human Rights simply aren’t guaranteed and logic tends to take a backseat. I was and continue to be deeply saddened by the hateful comments, on some popular Nigerian blogs, mostly borne out of religious fanaticism. Sadly, homophobia seems to have become a unifying factor between the Christians and Muslims in Nigeria – a country which currently has more pertinent issues to address.
photo’s courtesy of Sahara Reporters
This ridiculous and archaic bill also has implications beyond imprisonment. As the UK and USA threaten to cut financial aid to countries with homophobic laws, many fear that this will have an impact on the treatment of HIV positive individuals in countries like Nigeria. An estimated 380,000 Nigerians on anti-retrovirals (HIV meds) rely on donor funds to stay alive. If the bill is passed into law, there are fears that health care workers and members of outreach organizations targeting the LGBT community may also be criminalized and imprisoned. The fear of being persecuted and prosecuted will also deter MSM in Nigeria from being tested and seeking medical care. So, the trickle down effect of this homophobic bill will have a devastating impact on our community.
Hillary Clinton’s Human Rights Day Speech Champions Gay Rights – Watch It!
Black Gay Men’s Blog will be interviewing Nigerian gay activists and Human Rights supporters over the upcoming days and weeks. We will also be telling you guys ways in which you can do to get involved, so please share this and upcoming blog posts, “like” them , tweet them and let us all get behind the LGBT community in Nigeria. Gay and Human Rights activists please feel free to leave comments with suggestions and ways in which we can all get involved. Please note, this blog does not tolerate hateful comments, so don’t even waste your time or mine. My heart bleeds for my brothers and sisters in Nigeria……….
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Sometimes we get so caught up in our own petty stuff, we forget how hard it is for some of our brothers in Africa and the Caribbean. Thank you for posting this, we must all get involved however we can. Write to our Senators, whatever we gotta do. As you said it is a global issue.
This really makes me mad, because I remember years ago, when Nigeria was a cool place for us Jamaicans to visit and get away from our own homophobic madness. I have always seen Nigeria as my second home, because my people were brought to Jamaica from there, like many others.
Now all these evangelists have taken their homophobic “religious” hate sermons over there and filled the minds of Nigerians with prejudice. Nigerians never used to be concerned with gays or homosexuality. I agree with the guy in the video – it is homophobia that is unAfrican. I just hope they don’t turn Nigeria into another Jamaica with all this religious stuff. Black people have to learn that religion has no place in legislation.
Sadly, as a Nigerian i equally feel rejected by my own country…
Very informative article! It is so easy to get caught up in our own lives here and not realize what’s going on with our African brothers. This anti-gay bill in Nigeria sucks BIG TIME!
I just hate to think about the implications, when it comes to HIV/AIDS. This is really a life or death situation, yet it is so complex because of all the factors involved. We need to know how we can really get involved, what we can do to impact some kind of change..
thats the sad thing about africa…so many homophobic religious idiots
but I really hope things will change!
Thanks 4 postin dis storm cause so many black lgbt people including my self dont no da hardships dat gay people in africa go through so please let dis b a wake up n help our fellow people
As a Nigerian gay man, to say this saddens me is an understatement. I am pleased to see this blog shining some light on the matter. Lots of my friends in Nigeria follow this blog.
I made the decision to leave Nigeria six months ago and relocated to the States. I just couldn’t take any more of the constant religious fanaticism from my family and finally decided it was time for me to live my own life. I had visited NYC every year for the last 5 years, so it was an easy transition. I am one of the privileged and lucky ones. I can’t imagine what it must be like to be stuck there at this time with all this persecution and not be able to get out. I was becoming too vocal anyway, so I had to leave. Nigerian families are very big on children(even if you are 40) not “disgracing” the family name.
All this homophobia is relatively new and is definitely connected to the religious explosion that has happened over the last 20 years. The Senate is full of religious zealots – Christian and Muslim, so there is very little hope. Most of the Nigerians with independent minds are in the UK and USA. Now, the gay Nigerians, who can get out, will join them. Even those who love Nigeria and would have been prepared to stay and serve their country, in whatever capacity, are now left with no choice, but to flee.
Hopefully, President Jonathan will come to his senses and not sign this persecutory bill into law.
Thank you all for your support.
I just feel for those in Nigeria and also those in Jamaica whom are experiencing this unjust way of life. As on person wrote rejected by their own country. When will people stop and think we were born this way. Another form of bullying from Government
This makes me so ashamed to be Nigerian. We are meant to move forward, not backwards. All this hate I’m reading on Nigerian blogs is insane. We were never so preoccupied with homosexuality. It is almost as if religion has eroded the minds of the masses.Every “argument” if we can call it that, is full of quotes from the Bible (and Koran, for those who were raised Muslim). As long as the Senate and House of Representatives are full of religious fanatics, there can be no Human Rights.
I am so sickened by all of this. This gives frustrated individuals the license to behave like they do in Jamaica. A friend of mine(in Lagos) just called me today, he is considering fleeing his home, because suddenly, he is being threatened for being gay. He has been in that neighborhood for 4 years and never threatened before, even though he has always been very effeminate. I have referred him to you, Storm, so he can tell his story.
Wale, I feel exactly the same way you do.
Most of us in Nigeria haven’t even come out to family yet, so it’s not like we were rushing to get married. If the govt doesn’t want gay people to get married, fine. That’s still being fought for in other countries. But why do we have to be thrown in prison for going to a gay club or for selling a ring to a gay couple, who want to exchange vows? It is so ridiculous.
As with anything in Nigeria, it is the poor, who will suffer. I was always one of those, who chose to stay in Nigeria and help build my country etc. I went to school in England and I could have stayed, but chose to return. I have an appointment at the British Consulate in 2 weeks. I’m out of here!
Thanks for making us aware of what’s going on with our Nigerian LGBT fam.
I hope the President doesn’t sign this bill. There needs to be a central site where we can follow this up/learn about protests etc. This is so wrong and we should all do what we can.
Disgusting, and, much of this govt hate is being backed by US evangelical ‘Christians” and, sadly the citizens fall for this hate as the same govt won’t do a thing about the rampant poverty that ails these places, and, the same citizens won’t demand better, so, easy targets, glbt’s, and, even those who are not but said to be, sad and sick.
i would love a big black man to take care of me