Nigeria, Face Your Problems, Not Homosexuals – Leo Igwe
The recent arrest of six young men in Nigeria for the ‘supposed crime’ of homosexuality has once again demonstrated the misplaced priorities of the Buhari-led government. The arrest casts serious doubt on its supposed commitment to transforming Nigeria.
Going by recent developments, hope is fading very fast and disillusionment is setting in as many people are beginning to realize that the change mantra may end up being a ruse, a strategy that was used to win an election. The proposed change is a farce, at least when it comes to the dignified treatment of gay persons otherwise, how does one explain the current detention of some young men by police in Benin for engaging in homosexuality? As if the arrest of these adults was not disturbing enough, the police further paraded them before the public and humiliated them.
The clearly laid back Assistant Inspector General of the Police, Musa Daura, issued a statement that would make an external observer cringe. Daura made it seem as if the arrest had more to do with breaking religious and traditional taboos, not state laws. His statement has literally foreclosed any chances for just and fair hearing for these young men. Is that what change is all about? The ‘suspects’ have been declared guilty even when the investigation has not been concluded and the trial has not commenced. What kind of policing is this?
The government of Buhari, which came into power on the platform of change, must realize that Nigerians are yearning for a forward, not a backward looking change when it comes to the treatment of homosexuals. The Buhari change project must be in tandem, not at odds with the wind of progress that is sweeping across the world. In executing the change project, the Buhari government must think globally while acting locally. It must think love not hate.
This global wave of change does not sanction the arrest and prosecution of young adults for same sexual relationships. No, not at all. It does not condone or endorse homosexuality as a crime. Instead it is demanding a change of attitude towards homosexuals and homosexuality. Yes, the current wave of change urges the decriminalization of homosexuality and the recognition of the rights of homosexuals as human rights.
The process of change in the world demands that people be sanctioned for engaging in homophobic acts not homosexual practice. It calls for an end to homophobic policing as is the case in Benin and in other parts of Nigeria.
Thus if one considers the enormous security challenges that Nigeria faces at the moment including the pervasive cases of violent crime and conflict across the country, it is evident that devoting the limited police force to investigating and prosecuting consensual sexual relationships and to monitoring what adults do in their bed rooms is obviously misguided. It is fiddling while the country burns.
Nonsense! Crap! Homosexuals should be hung. Disgusting things! Mschewww
Really? You really mean this???
What a life??I don’t even know why we discuss about this good for nothing human beings called homosexual. Even a Dog can’t be homosexual self. I think very soon we will close down all these homosexual groups and kill anyone that does campingn in Nigeria. I wonder what will make a man to go after sheet hole. Tufiakwa. I wish they all can die and cease to exist. I can killanyone who is a gay or lesbian even if I find out my 7 yes old son and 5 yes old daughter are Into this rubbish. I will kill them. Nonsense people.
Hello, you don’t matter, leave people alone, Love is love. You are nobody to tell people how to fall in love, who they should be loving. Thanks for your interest here.
See this fool. You should be ashamed of yourself. Something you can’t even boost for in the street. You hide and do your atrocities. I pity you and your parents because you are nothing but a waste of sperm. Continue leaving in homosexuality tomorrow you will look for straight children to adopt. I wonder what you homosexuals look like in reality because I have not seen one live ? You even have the audacity to talk and high morale to speak.
I pity your parents because they will be highly ashamed of you. Get a life and be reasonable. For all I know homosexuality can never be legalized and if it happens it will hell loose on earth because we will fight it to then end.
And what are you a foolish prostitute with bastards as children…stupid fool he is trying to make a point so the best you could do is to say trash…stupid nigerians and their shallow thinking…let me ask you if you find ur kid as a gay you will kill right who lose mumu akimbo make use of ur head…homosexual’s are human for God’s sake the only thing you can do I’d to advice and pray on their behalf for a change when you have them as friend’s you know what am saying stupid idiot
Mumu look at stupid mouth homosexul this homosexual that bla bla bla are u better than them u types re those that re capable of sleeping with some body’s wife or husband snachers or even returlists no u don’t call those ones taboo is only when you people hear gay you will be runing your useless mouth common face your problems and leave peacfull people alon they re human beings like u that they find themseves like that is not they making and you that critisize homosexul don’t you knwo that funication aldultry etc re sin too and let me remind u if u don’t kn we re in 24th century so u better live with civilization u die cos come rein com sun it must be legalize in this coutry and BELIVE THAT
I am extremely disappointed, hearing how people worry about other people’s lives. Those of you that are saying homosexuals should be hung, have you ever thought that gay people are our brothers and sisters. We should not forget that they are fellow citizens, they have father’s, they have mothers, they have people they love just like you.
Nigerians should wake up from these chains that western religion has put us. Look around in our country, everywhere church and mosque, where has that gotten us, nowhere. We are still dying of hunger, corruption is the order of the day, poverty everywhere while our so called pastors are living fat. It’s high time Africans grow up. Tell me, those of you that are blabbing about how wrong homosexuality is, how did you know it was wrong, where did you get the idea that it was sin, probably, you will call the Bible or another religious book. So now is homosexuality the only sin, your so called scriptures warned against, No. Maybe you must have forgotten since you are full of hate. Ok, Does the same Bible not warn about divorce, polygamy, drinking alcohol, eating pig, etc. But all these things are practiced by us in our society, and most of us here are comfortable with them, but when the issue of allowing people to love who they want, it turns your stomach, it aggregates you.
Well, what I can tell you HATERS, is to continue to do what you do best, but know that the gay community here in Nigeria will not stop. You can kill us, imprison us, insult us, but you can never change who we are. The same way you are determined, so are we.
In solidarity