“They are after my life because am gay” – Nigerian man seeks help

Temple*, a Nigerian man has opened up to NoStrings about how thugs have been sent to kill him because he is gay.

This is not a picture of the victim. This image is for illustrative purposes only.

The young man, who is now hiding in fear and currently living on the street, revealed to NoStrings in a conversation, that his family is behind the whole thing.

“They want to see me dead, they think am evil, and they are particularly worried that I will spoil the family name with my homosexuality” he told NoStrings.

Temple whose mother is late, said that his life took a new turn since his family came to discover that he is gay.

“It started when my family brought a woman for me to marry, and after some serious and heated arguments, I couldn’t help but come out to them that I am gay. They couldn’t take this, as they pressured that I must marry this strange woman of which I refused.

Temple’s ignorant family could not take it, as they are of the erroneous opinion that homosexuality is bad, evil and can be cured, so they decided to take him to see a doctor who after several failed attempts at curing him, and for whatever reasons, suggested that he be forced to get tested for HIV.

Read Also: Professor reveals that sexual orientation cannot be changed

“My family took me to a doctor for cure, who after doing everything to get me cured, forced me to take a HIV test. The result came out positive, and my family became really mad at me. I was put under serious pressure and the heat at home doubled up.

Listen: My Parents Took Me To A Shrine Trying To Cure Me Of Homosexuality! – Anderson, Nigerian Gay Man Says

Temple’s family was bent on making sure that their son changes his sexual orientation, even as this is not possible. So to mount more pressure, and to get him to do their bidding, they reported him to his boss at his place of work.

“They reported me to my boss at the company where I work, he too was highly homophobic, and he felt irritated and sacked me. Now I have no job, and things are really tight for me.

After suffering so much for a sexual orientation he did not choose, and for what obviously no one can change, Temple decided to run away from home, and move to a new location to begin a fresh start, but the demons he thought he had left behind, came hunting him once more.

“I left my step mother and my father and moved to Abuja to try to start my life all over again, but somehow they managed to get the information, and sent some thugs to get me back home, instructing them that if I refuse, then I should be killed, as I have now become useless to them.

“Luckily, one of them knew me, and called me up on the phone, telling me to run far. I am still in Abuja, seeking for help of whatever kind, I hope I find help soon enough. I do not want to die like this.

This is just one story amongst the many ugly experiences encountered by LGBTI persons strive to survive in Nigeria.

Read Also: 

• Nigerian man suspended from work over homosexuality claims
• Nigerian man suffers homophobic attacks because of his sexual orientation
• Nigerian man stripped naked and arrested for cross dressing

Please note: Temple; the name used in this story is a fictitious name used deliberately to safeguard the identity of the victim.

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