LGBTs are yet to find their place in a sacred and religious country like Nigeria where the act of homophobic activities is shunned and discriminated against. It is not surprising to know that there is no legal protection for these group of people and very few people can openly talk about their sexual orientation. Due to the fact that there is no legal right, they conceal their identities or run to some other countries where they are accepted because of the violence they face in other to seek protection.
Typically, in the Northern part of Nigeria, if you are found to be LGBT, under the sharia court you will be stoned to death especially for the Muslims and the maximum of 14 years imprisonment under the same-sex marriage prohibition Act. As a Nigerian, it is quite weird to hear same-sex to say “I love you” to each other especially between people of same-sex, the reception or the non-verbal cues of an onlooker or the recipient of such gesture can be perceived that you have crossed the line by saying that. We are so culturally inclined to every statement and behavior displayed in Nigeria, jokingly you hear people say “I cover my yansh (anus) with the blood of Jesus”.
A same-sex relationship is quite a terror to the society because of its oddness to the usual acceptance of the heterosexual community. Nigeria is one of the worst places to be friendly to anyone seen as gay or lesbian. Christians have preached against it is an immoral act and often referred to as Sodom and Gomorrah in the bible where this was practiced to be an abomination to God and the Muslims religion, Islam provides death as a punishment for such actions. So you dare not come out as a Man, to say you love men or as a Woman, to say you love women.
My advice for all Nigerians is that we need to stop discriminating against these people and respect them with so much love because you never can tell, your daughter or son can be the next person in this category.
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