A group of self-confessed gays and lesbians has urged the
international community to prevail on President Goodluck Jonathan to veto the
bill prohibiting same sex marriage and other related matters recently passed by
the House of Representatives.
The group said if the bill, which the Senate had already passed,
was signed into law, it would infringe on the personal freedom of homosexuals
in the country. The House had last week passed the Same Sex Marriage
(Prohibition) Bill, which would impose a prison sentence of up to 14 years for
anyone found guilty of engaging in same-sex relationships.
Speaking yesterday in Akure through their spokesperson, Mr.
Kolaado Amoo, the gays and lesbians decried what they described as “the
negative attitude to sexual rights and freedom in Nigeria.” They stated that
the passage of the bill would lead to an increase in the rate of harassment and
witchhunting of homosexuals, many of whom were said to have fled the country.
The group cited the case of one Bisi Alimi, who was one of the
first Nigerians to openly discuss his homosexuality on national television and
as a result, put his life in danger. Said Amoo: “Alimi faced death threats,
stiff opposition, physical and verbal attacks because of his sexual orientation
and for his decision to be openly gay. Now a gay right activist and works with
HIV/AIDS programmes, Alimi found asylum in the United Kingdom.”
Amoo also cited one Adebayo Philip Temidayo as another victim of
harassment saying his whereabouts was yet to be known since he was attacked for
confessing to being a gay, a couple of years back. “Adebayo was beaten and
nearly killed because he felt nothing was bad in practising what he believes
in. His properties were set ablaze and his life was constantly threatened
before he disappeared. Members of his family had to run for their lives. The
development led to his father’s death,” he added
Source: National Mirror
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