Nigeria Welcomes Anti-Gay Laws

Recently, the Nigerian Senate, following the good example of the House of Representatives, passed the bill against homosexuality and lesbianism. As if they had been waiting for that positive development, their counterparts in Uganda passed a similar law. Back in Nigeria, State Houses of Assembly are taking the same path as their federal counterparts. The Katsina State House of Assembly has just passed a law making homosexuality and lesbianism offences punishable by a 14-year jail term and N10, 000 fine.

Curiously, in Europe and America, homosexuality has become fashionable, as governments openly back the despicable trend. Some of these governments are so proud of their stand on the issue that they count it as one of their achievements. Their argument that individuals can live their lives as they deem fit in line with the dictates of their rights as human beings may be admissible.

But many, especially in Africa, are beginning to express worry that they are intent on internationalising it. At some point, some governments in Europe and even international sports organisations threatened to withdraw aid to countries in the developing world that frown on same sex relationships.

We are persuaded to argue that if gay rights or homosexuality is a fundamental human right, the individual should be allowed to decide to whether to enjoy or repudiate it, as with all such rights, without any government having to use its paraphernalia to coerce people to adopt it, use it as an instrument of state policy or even international relations. It is a matter for utmost regret that governments in the developed countries should express opinion on what is essentially the prerogative of any country to decide on.

We commend governments of African countries for taking steps to check its spread, considering the tendency by Africans to copy everything dished out by western culture. It will be to their eternal credit that they have refused to be blackmailed or bullied by these so-called developed countries, who believe, erroneously, that cultural and moral values can be sacrificed in anticipation of a bowl of porridge.

Furthermore, we reject in its entirety the phenomenon of a man finding a fellow man sexually attractive, or a woman finding another woman intimately appealing. In our view, it is out rightly offensive to all that is decent and has nothing to recommend it to any human being in his or her proper frame of mind.

It is our contention that the inclination of these developed countries to globalise immorality is, in itself reprehensible and we urge African leaders to insist on their rejection of what is antithetical to all that the average African holds dear, even as they muster the political will to see such stand through.