Same-Sex Marriage and Homosexuality showdown: Nigeria’s Senate President, Ghana’s Minister insist they are “offensive” to Africans; UK Prime Minister threatens to withdraw aid, draws fire
Special report by Chido Nwangwu for USAfricaonline.com and CLASSmagazine , PhotoWorks.TV and the USAfrica-powered e-groups of Nigeria360 and UNNalumni
USAfrica, November 1, 2011: Senator David Mark, President of the Senate of Africa’s largest democracy, a former soldier and key member of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has stated, in strong and firm words, his support for a legislative act to Prohibit Same Sex Marriage in Nigeria. He opposes homosexuality and same sex marriage: “It is offensive. It is repugnant. I will preach against it and we must stand up to reject same sex marriages, in Nigeria.”
For him, the lifestyle of homosexuality is an affront to all the religions in the country and anywhere else, emphasizing that: “My faith as a Christian abhors it. It is incomprehensible to contemplate on same sex marriage. I cannot understand it. I cannot be a party to it…. I do not think any religion supports this. I don’t know where this whole idea of same sex marriage comes from…. There are enough men and women to marry each other.”
Mark, from Nigeria’s middle belt state of Benue, also takes the position that “The whole idea is the importation of foreign culture but this one would be a freedom too many. We cannot allow our tradition and value system eroded…. It is offensive to our culture and tradition.”
He made his remarks at the public hearing on October 31, 2011 in Abuja by Nigeria’s Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters.
On the other hand, Britain’s Prime Minister David Cameron is set on a collision course with Ghana, Nigeria, Uganda, Malawi, Zimbabwe and many African countries as he has told the BBC that Britain will not give financial support/aid to African countries who oppose homosexual rights, stating that “British aid should have more strings attached.”
Cameron’s position has drawn the strong response of Uganda’s presidential adviser John Nagenda, charging him of exhibiting an “ex-colonial mentality.” Nagenda, one of President Yoweri Museveni’s confidantes told the BBC that”Uganda is, if you remember, a sovereign state and we are tired of being given these lectures by people…. If they (Britain and others) must take their money, so be it.” He warned that Cameron’s attitude reflecting “this kind of ex-colonial mentality of saying: ‘You do this or I withdraw my aid’ will definitely make people extremely uncomfortable with being treated like children.”
One of the backers of the same sex prohibition ban in Nigeria told USAfricaonline.com that “Britain’s Prime Minister Cameron still think we are under his colonial rule. Let him keep his financial aid and same sex agenda. Nonsense. He wants to run our country for us?”– she queried.
Cameron added that his government will financially support homosexual-gay groups: “we are prepared to put some money behind what we believe.”
Some African leaders consider that approach as “provocative.” From Malawi, on Tuesday November 1, 2011, the Malawi Christian Council chairperson Bishop Dr. Joseph Bvumbwe, Evangelical Association of Malawi (EAM) chairperson Reverend Dr. Lazarus Chakwera and the Episcopal Conference of Malawi (ECM) secretary Father George Buleya described the British Prime Minister’s statements as “unfortunate, unacceptable and provocative.'”
Meanwhile, Ghana’s Trade and Industry Minister, Ms. Hannah Tetteh, only a few hours ago, argued that same sex relationships and homosexuality are unacceptable and against African culture; warning that no amount of financial denials and threats from Cameron and Britain would make Ghana bow to same sex marriage. She said that “Every society has its norms and what it considers to be acceptable…. In the Western world it is acceptable to have gay relationships and even move on to the next level to gay marriages; in our society it is unacceptable.'”
A Nigerian gay activist, John Adeniyi, who addressed the committee raised issues against the bill to prohibit same sex marriage will undermine the access of homosexuals to quality medical care. He said they suffered from perceptions of some doctors who see their body parts as strange. He narrated “a case where someone went to a hospital and instead of the doctor to treat him as a professional, he started shouting: make una (folks) come help me see o, I never see this kind of thing before….”
USAfrica is also aware that many U.S-based African churches have expressed their opposition while same sex activists of African descent in the U.S make their own case. U.S President Barack Obama, born to a Kenyan father and an American mother, says he’s a supporter for greater marriage equality for gays and the Obama administration argues that the 1996 American law barring federal recognition of same-sex marriages is unconstitutional.
USAfrica news index indicate that the debates on this controversial issue of homosexuality and same sex marriage will remain contentious among Nigerians and other Africans as most of the continent’s political, social and religious leaders forcefully challenge and denounce the demands of the relatively small gay rights groups for the accepting their lifestyle as normal and acceptable.
USAfrica and CLASSmagazine readers’ responses/views are welcome: opinion@USAfricaonline.com and/or USAfrica247@Gmail.com
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In addition to passing the proibition of homosexuality and same sex marriage in Nigeria, the legislative arm of the Nigerian Government needs to include in it SEVERE PUNISHMENT(INSTANT DEATH) TO ANY GAY RIGHTS OR SAME SEX MARRIAGE GROUPS THAT SPRING UP ANYWHERE IN NIGERIA to promote the nonsense they call gayism. Cameron threatning with british aid…how much of the aid has helped the hungry and homeless Nigerians on the street?, how much of the aid has assisted Nigerians in education in Nigeria not to talk of studying abroad?, how much of the aid has ameliorated the level of malaria in Africa?….very soon they'll insist that we legalize prostitution like they do here in the UK. look at how much pollution oil drilling has left in NIGERIAN ENVIRONMENT….it is reported that it will take 30 years to clean that up. All of this they contributed to. It is not enough that we Nigerians are quiet on oil exploitation and pollution issue at the moment, now this. God will punish CAMERON, HIS FAMILY and his entire generation forever.
British Gov. please stay away from african laws, culture and way of life…. we are no longer your slaves. we have independent and so should decided on what to do in our nation. mind your country and the problems thay are facing everyday… this why the islamic nations are alway wanting to distroy your country and kill your people because you still want to treat people as if you are their master…
David-Cameron-British-prime-minister think think that we African are fool or what did they take us to be a slave or what, please this is the ANTI CHRIST .
David Cameron please keep your AID to your self and your family ok we African has more then your British ok "WE ARE NOT A SLAVE AND WE CAN NEVER BE" I can see while you all kill GADDAFI. This is time for we AFRICA to stand up and fight back for good.
I remember one of our late musical FELA , I will stop here.
David-Cameron-British-prime-minister think think that we African are fool or what did they take us to be a slave or what, please this is the ANTI CHRIST .
David Cameron please keep your AID to your self and your family ok we African has more then your British ok "WE ARE NOT A SLAVE AND WE CAN NEVER BE" I can see while you all kill GADDAFI. This is time for we AFRICA to stand up and fight back for good.
I remember one of our late musical FELA , I will stop here.
It is totally unacceptable. God created man and woman, not man and man or woman and woman. Where is this world heading to? Are we moving backing to the days of Sodom and Gomorrah? Even if we were to lay aside the Word of God for a moment, common sense should tell us what Sodom was like. Just look at the world today, especially America and Europe! The United States today is MUCH worse than Sodom! Sodom didn’t have the magazines, photos, videos, or internet to produce pornography. Yet God reigned down fire and brimstone in fierce judgment upon Sodom and Gomorrah! God’s judgment upon America will be infinitely greater than that which fell upon Sodom.
Gay rights and same sex marriage are the least of Nigeria's problems for now compared to the wholesale looting of our treasury and the Boko Haram scourge ravaging the country. By the time the Gay rights are signed into law, I would want to know where the guys would live in, which neighborhood, which church/mosque they would be worshiping in, which market they will be buying from or selling to, whose going to employ them for work etc. By the time Nigerians, who do not know how to mind their business, finish treating them like lepers and outcasts, they will choose to run away by themselves. And that problem will be solved permanently. For now let's concentrate all energies at fighting corruption before it pulls down this house and we become extinct.