2 January 2021
LGBTQ and Nigerian Pastors
It is amazing how Nigerian religious leaders treat LGBTQ as people possessed by evil spirit.
Shortly before the COVID-19 lockdown in Nigeria (March 2020) Sharon (surname withheld for security purpose) was taken to a white garment church by her mother for prayers for financial breakthrough unknown to her that a friend had informed her mother that she was a Lesbian.
Upon getting to the church, the pastor who had previously agreed with Sharon's mother that she needed a deliverance conducted for Sharon to be delivered from the evil spirit that has possessed her, starting an intercessory prayer that lasted for about an hour, the pastor told Sharon's mother that Sharon will have to remain with them for 14days.
'Those 14 days were the worst days of my life! They beat me, slapped me, poured me water and for these days, I was not allowed to take a bath.' Sharon lamented. She eventually had to confess to having a evil spirit and that the spirit has been gotten rid of just because she needed a break and if that means accepting that she was possessed by evil spirit just because she was a Lesbian, she was willing to do it. It was only then that she was allowed to go home after she had given a testimony in church publicly.
When I hear experiences such as Sharon's, I wonder why our people have refused to understand that being LGBTQ is not something that is spiritual or a fashion. It is noteworthy to understand that it is who you are and that shouldn't be an offense to anyone or groups or government.
25 December 2020
From me to you
Merry Christmas to you and yours. Happy, glorious, gracious, and fruitful new year in advance.
I sincerely appreciate you for always reading my blog and I promise you more to come.
Peace and love to you
12 December 2020
The Kill order
There is a saying that religion is the opium of the masses. Nowadays, however, the new generation prosperity pastors have made religion a very lucrative business. Napoleon said that ‘Religion is an excellent instrument that can be used to keep the common people quiet. Religion keeps the poor from killing the rich’. In recent times however religion has crept out of where it was supposed to be stored safely, to rear its head, in politics.
Today we look at religious differences in the world at large while noting for starters that Nigeria and France, which especially holds my attention today.
Lets take a look at the situation in France where an Islamist terrorist decapitated a teacher who was teaching freedom of expression in France. A country that its motto is Liberty, Equality, Fraternity. For supporting the decapitated teacher and making him a National hero , Turkey’s President Tayyip Erdogan asked the French president Emmanuel Macron to see a psychiatrist literally and Erdogan said truculently that the French want to start another Crusade .
The Vatican in Rome Pope Francis shocked Catholics world wide when he called gay couples children of God who are entitled to civic marriages to secure their union.
While all these religious rumbles were going on abroad, Nigerians woke up from the curfew of the violent anti SARS protests on police brutality to see the Igbosere High Court and police stations razed to the ground by hoodlums and miscreants who hijacked the protest.
To be honest with you, I do not know whether to mourn silently or cry, the way the anti SARS protest went and ended was so shocking.Protests are part of democracy and I do not think that there is anywhere in the world where people protest more regularly than France and the United States. But such protests do not disturb those who have other things to do as the Anti SARS protests did and it was hijacked by thugs.
The miscreants must have misread the music, food and excitements of the protesters as a slap on their faces. They became miserable and vented their anger on our public buildings. The politicians then took the advantage to use them as a distraction to discredit the good work the protesters were doing. They then tried to use religion to stop the real protesters which wasn't successful. Little wonder they sent military to shoot directly at peaceful protesters at the lekki toll gate. I am still waiting for them to come out and own up to the fact that they (government) gave the kill order.
When all is said and done, we left with nothing but religion. So therefore, i pray for a Nigeria where the youths, can live safely in our society, both day and night with fear of their sexuality or speaking up for themselves.
14 November 2020
#EndSARS movement continues.....Queer lifes matter
I feel proud of the role we all played in the #EndSARS movement. While a large focus on police brutality centers on young men, women are also victims of sexual violence at the hands of SARS and the Nigerian police in general.
The fight of queer #EndSARS protesters in Nigeria could provide the impetus for Black LGBTQ+ activists in the U.S.
Queer and trans Nigerians’ fight to have the #EndSARS movement recognize their trials and mirrors the fight for Black LGBTQ+ people to gain visibility within the mainstream Black Lives Matter movement in the States.
The lifes of queer and trans people in Nigeria has been under the specter of police violence. Earlier this year, police raided a Lagos Hotel and arrested some men on the mere suspicion of being gay. Similar police raids are conducted all over Nigeria on gay men and lesbian women. Since 2014 when the Same Sex Marriage Prohibition Act was signed into law, police violence against queer and trans people has skyrocketed.
On Oct. 3 a young fellow was robbed of his life in Ughelli, a town in southeastern Nigeria. He was killed for the dangerous crime of driving a Lexus. Two days later, SARS forces shot and killed Daniel Chibuke, a 20-year-old upcoming rapper, for daring to sit near a hotel with a friend. young masculine men and certain people are targeted by police for the most frivolous minutiae, such as being perceived to be gay or driving a car with the radio too loud. Basic things that people can do without a second thought can endanger a young Nigerian's life.....this is what gave birth to the endsars campaign
10 October 2020
This is my message
Homosexuality is an extremely complex issue in a lot of Africa countries and Nigeria is no different.
Nigeria is a highly religious traditional society alongside the Christian and Muslim religion that strongly opposes homosexuality.
As a result, Nigeria is one of 30 countries in Africa where homosexuality is criminalized.
The government outlawed same-sex relationships passed in 2014 building on the colonial-era prohibition of sodomy. To this end, the Nigerian police have cracked down on people who are suspected to be homosexuals, thereby forcing most people to hide.
The knowledge of being sidelined and the need to challenge beliefs that homosexuality is immoral is what inspired me to write this post because a lot of people ask me why I write about homosexuality.
"Before now, we have been told one-sided stories. What I am doing in my own little way is normalizing the queer experience. I want to get rid shame that lesbians, bisexuals, and queer women face in our society.
Although the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) community in Africa is getting increasingly vocal and visible, thanks to the internet providing a space for films, talk shows, and websites to educate people on accepting people the way they are.
16 August 2020
'IFE' The movie
A few weeks ago I stumbled upon a story about a soon-to-be-released gay movie in Nigeria and I couldn't help but ask, is Nigeria ready for this? Don't get me wrong at all, I was super excited about the idea but just days after, my excitement was cut short. The National Video Censor Board says "it knows what to do" if the producer of the soon-to-be-released LGBTQ Movie, 'Ife' does not present the movie for censorship.
The Director of the Board insisted that no movie can be released in Nigeria if it is not vetted by them first for the ratings of the movie. He further said that if brought to them, they know what to do because 'the law of the land prohibits same-sex marriage and associations.
'IFE is a story about two lesbian partners who fell in love and struggles with the challenges of being in a same-sex relationship in Nigeria. The Director of the movie, Uyai Ikpe-Etim says the aim of the movie is to change the narrative of the representation of LGBTQ in Nigeria and I am all for it. Fingers crossed that this movie makes it to our screens and people will be more educated about LGBTQ.
“The idea was just to show that we are normal people who fall in love, who have their hearts broken, who break hearts, who have troubles, who triumph. We also aim to increase the visibility of the community, to tell the lesbian story too, and to drive social acceptance,” she said
1 August 2020
Prof Kemebradikumo Daniel Pondei becomes an actor
Kemebradikumo Pondei, the acting chairman of the NDDC suddenly became an actor during the public hearing by the Nigeria National Assembly on the NDDC.
The whole world watched as a grown man was asked questions on accountability of the money an resources allocated to the NDDC was spent and the Chairman, realizing he was in a tough spot decided to ACT faint.
I watched the video and I couldn't help but laugh. Please watch below.
Professor Kemebradikumo Pondei, was only appointed in February 2020 by President Mohammed Buhari just in time for the Covid-19 pandemic.
All the money and resources handed to this man for the people of Niger Delta people was embezzled. In an interview, when asked about the pandemic relief palative that handed to him for his people, he answered that they the officers needed to take care of themselves and make sure that they are free from covid-19 before they can think about other people.
These is someone that is expected to be responsible for his people.... My own conclusion is that the president knows the kind of person he was before he was appointed and he was put in that position for a reason and I bet we all know the reason.
19 July 2020
Colonization and Homosexuality in Africa
Bisi Alimi is known to be the first Nigerian to declare his homosexuality on national TV. And he is currently on exile as Nigeria’s law frown upon same-sex marriage
Nigerian gay activist, Bisi Alimi has said that homosexuality became a crime in Africa after colonial masters introduced Christianity.
He said, Homosexuality was not a criminal offence in Africa before the colonisers came. You can’t demand decolonising Africa and be homophobic at the same time. Choose a side.
He basically believes that with the colonization of African countries came hatred for homosexuality making it obvious that homosexuality has always been in African.
But you know what amazes me the most, the colonizing countries are not against homosexuality in their country
Nigerian gay activist, Bisi Alimi has said that homosexuality became a crime in Africa after colonial masters introduced Christianity.
He said, Homosexuality was not a criminal offence in Africa before the colonisers came. You can’t demand decolonising Africa and be homophobic at the same time. Choose a side.
He basically believes that with the colonization of African countries came hatred for homosexuality making it obvious that homosexuality has always been in African.
But you know what amazes me the most, the colonizing countries are not against homosexuality in their country
21 June 2020
6 YEAR AND?
A comment on one of my posts got me thinking. The fellow said "gay rights will never find a place in Nigeria".
You see, i believe that when President Goodluck Jonathan signed the same sex Prohibition act bill into law in 2014, he gave the Nigerian citizens the authority to carry out harassment, criticizing, fighting, molesting, shooting and killing of innocent people for the sake of their sexual orientation and gender identification. it has become more obvious that the aim of this law is not to actually convict any LGBTQ Citizen but to make them scapegoats and make them live as criminals in their own country. this is because in the 6 years of this law, it is yet to convict anyone but on the contrary, hundreds of LGBTQ have been assaulted, displaced and killed, all in the name of this law. Even in their death, they do not get any fair treatment from the justice system instead, the media gather lies and further ridicule the dead.
Nigerians have isolated this law and used it as a weapon to strip people off their humanity just because of their sexual orientation and gender identification. The frequency of this occurrences and their effect has been terrible.
The Nigerian government to the best of my knowledge decided to use the media and it citizens to start a domestic terrorism on the LGBTQ Community in Nigeria.
A lot of people have been maimed and lost their lives for this reason. i was personally shot at but thank God, they missed. if you say this is what you get from being a part of or in association with the LGBTQ, what happened to the right to life? that reminds me of the late human rights activist Bamanga Rabiu popularly referred to as Rabina who was found in a shallow grave in room. it was reported that the killing was as a result of a hate crime.
You see, i believe that when President Goodluck Jonathan signed the same sex Prohibition act bill into law in 2014, he gave the Nigerian citizens the authority to carry out harassment, criticizing, fighting, molesting, shooting and killing of innocent people for the sake of their sexual orientation and gender identification. it has become more obvious that the aim of this law is not to actually convict any LGBTQ Citizen but to make them scapegoats and make them live as criminals in their own country. this is because in the 6 years of this law, it is yet to convict anyone but on the contrary, hundreds of LGBTQ have been assaulted, displaced and killed, all in the name of this law. Even in their death, they do not get any fair treatment from the justice system instead, the media gather lies and further ridicule the dead.
Nigerians have isolated this law and used it as a weapon to strip people off their humanity just because of their sexual orientation and gender identification. The frequency of this occurrences and their effect has been terrible.
The Nigerian government to the best of my knowledge decided to use the media and it citizens to start a domestic terrorism on the LGBTQ Community in Nigeria.
A lot of people have been maimed and lost their lives for this reason. i was personally shot at but thank God, they missed. if you say this is what you get from being a part of or in association with the LGBTQ, what happened to the right to life? that reminds me of the late human rights activist Bamanga Rabiu popularly referred to as Rabina who was found in a shallow grave in room. it was reported that the killing was as a result of a hate crime.
30 May 2020
wisdom is profitable
This is the story of Samuel Uchenna...Nigerian and gay.
on the 19th of May 2020 at about 5:45pm, he got a phone call from an acquintance saying that he wanted come over to his house to say hello and Samuel said it was okay. At 5:58 pm his door bell rang and a team of six police officers from SARS [the Special Anti-Robbery Squad], with the acquaintance standing in front of them, in handcuffs.
Samuel was asked if he knew their suspect and he replied yes. That was when all hell broke loose. They barged into the house and began ransacking the house and roughly searching his personal belongings without a warrant. he asked the officers their reasons for this invasion, they were busy handcuffing him while turning his bedroom upside down. Upon further inquiry about the reason for all these and the warrant for this arrest, one of the officer gave him a slap across the face.He was dragged down the stairs and taken to the police command in Delta state, a special operational squad named “Safe Delta”. He was slapped across the face severely when he continuously requested from the police men to show him their warrant.
To give a clear picture of how this squad operates; the first thing they do is to confiscate the victims mobile phone till they are done with their investigation. this is exactly what they did with Samuel.Samuel was asked if he knew their suspect and he replied yes. That was when all hell broke loose. They barged into the house and began ransacking the house and roughly searching his personal belongings without a warrant. he asked the officers their reasons for this invasion, they were busy handcuffing him while turning his bedroom upside down. Upon further inquiry about the reason for all these and the warrant for this arrest, one of the officer gave him a slap across the face.He was dragged down the stairs and taken to the police command in Delta state, a special operational squad named “Safe Delta”. He was slapped across the face severely when he continuously requested from the police men to show him their warrant.
Samuel informed them that he is a Human Rights Defendant but this fell on deaf ears. After about 10 minutes of going through the victim's phone, he was questioned about the conversation he had with the acquaintance saying that the acquaintance confessed to being gay and he told them that Samuel was his enabler.
Samuel told the police men that he is aware of his innate attraction to the same sex but had never tried to act on it. He further added that he worked for an organization that offers health care for gays in the state. He was immediately detained without an option for bail.
On the 20th of May 2020, Samuel's project Manager was eventually able to locate the police station but wasn't allowed to see Samuel. The Project Manager had to call friends in higher places before Samuel was granted a bail of N150,000 (I wonder what happened to 'Bail is free').
Samuel is home safe but is afraid for his life as he doesn't know what can happen at anytime.
he might have escaped this time. but what happens next time? because there is definitely going to be a next time as police already know him and where he lives.
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