4 April 2021
Clubhouse and LGBTQ+
The LGBTQ+ community in Nigeria has been experiencing frequent abuse lately on the popular social media app Clubhouse. the invitation-based app has been used by queer Nigerians as an escape. the app is used to discuss LGBTQ+ issues and topics.
One user described Clubhouse as a “safe haven” and a “holding space for each other [the LGBTQ+ community].”
Nigeria is considered to be one of the most dangerous countries for the LGBTQ+ community and it has been ranked as the worst place for LGBTQ+ safety, due to the prospect of 14 years in prison or the death penalty for homosexuality, as well as the criminalization of LGBTQ+ rights discussions.
Although Clubhouse has been a safe haven for most, abuse and anti-LGBTQ+ behavior have become more common since its introduction.
Some homophobic chatrooms have even disguised themselves as LGBTQ+ friendly, luring in unsuspecting people before unleashing horrible verbal attacks.
The hijacking of queer spaces on social media has become more common in Nigeria, with some homophobes even tricking gay individuals on Grindr. even with heavy precautions, some users have stated that nothing has been done for reports of abuse.
Homophobia is rife throughout the country, back in 2019 an influential police chief, Dolapo Badmos, told LGBTQ+ people to leave or face prosecution and this statement has caused a lot more harm than good.
28 March 2021
Son of the Rainbow narrates his experience
Mathew Blaise who is popularly known as The son of the rainbow, on social media, talk about his experience with a Priest about two years ago, just after he had posted about his sexuality on Facebook. He said a priest invited him to his church office and harassed him physically by throwing punches and choking him. People that witnessed the incident, did absolutely nothing to intervene, a not-uncommon response to anti-LGBTQ violence in Nigeria, Blaise says. Only 7% of Nigerians surveyed by Pew for its 2020 report said homosexuality should be accepted by society, the lowest rate among polled countries. In 2014, President Goodluck Jonathan signed a law that criminalizes public displays of same-sex affection and threatening LGBTQ couples who marry or have “amorous relationships” with up to 14 years in prison. In some states, same-sex relations are punishable by death.
The assault fueled Blaise, who’s nonbinary and gay, to become more outspoken on social media. After the killing of a Nigerian gay man last March, they created the #EndHomophobiaInNigeria hashtag, which trended for two days. Blaise also organized a group of queer people to march during last year’s protests against the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, a branch of the national police that has a reputation for targeting the LGBTQ community.
Last year, LGBTQ Nigerians won a minor victory when a judge threw out a case against 47 men charged with public display of affection, a crime that can carry a 10-year sentence. “It’s a very beautiful thing to know that despite these laws that condemn our existence, we are still resilient,” Blaise says
21 March 2021
Help save Jane Otubo
On Friday the 19th of March 2021, the Lagos State Police Command announced that their operatives had arrested a 28-year-old groceries seller, Jane Otubo, for participation in gay activities somewhere in Oshodi.
Otubo, is a native of Enugu State but was apprehended at Eniola Street, Mafoluku, Oshodi area of Lagos by the Makinde Police Division.
"We have arrested a middle-aged man for homosexual acts. He is allegedly a habitual homosexual. Police operatives attached to Makinde division nabbed him on Thursday in the Mafoluku area," the Police Spokesperson, CSP Muyiwa Adejobi, said when interviewed.
This is what living in Nigeria and gay means, constant police arrests, bullying and disgrace, and humiliation. Otubo is human, an adult who should be allowed to have sex with whoever he pleases but the reverse is the case here. he was dragged out by his own neighbor and reported to the police who is currently making life unbearable for him.
we need to do something with this antigay law in Nigeria because the life of LGBTQ is at stake.
7 March 2021
#ENDATIGAYLAWINIGERIA
Coming out to my friends and family is a huge step that Uche Maduagwu took so that he can be himself and become the person that he is. He was tired of hiding and living in a shell of himself. He took to social media to speak publicly. After announcing his sexuality reveal he took to his Instagram page a few weeks ago to speak about his experience after opening.
According to this controversial actor, he has lost many endorsement deals, all movie roles, and even lost friends and he is now asking people to join him to embark on a peaceful protest to put an end to anti-gay law in Nigeria.
I am excited that he is able to come but as we all know, his safety is now at stake! I am literally scared for him because he wants to embark on a journey that can cost him his life. The situation of the Lekki toll gate is still fresh and we vividly remember how peaceful protesters were shot at point-blank! Now imagine an LGBTQ Protest! Typing it alone makes me scared of the letters. I remembered during the #EndSARS protesters, we used the medium to peacefully talk about #LGBTQLIVESMATTERS but to my utmost surprise, I got threatened to dare it after the #EndSARS movement and see what will happen. That alone still make me hid in my shell.
20 February 2021
Gender Identity
A lot of people are ignorant of what Gender identity truly refers to. In most cases people always think about transgender when Gender identity is mentioned, however there are other 112 gender identities recognized in New York City and other cities. For instance, there is the “gender neutral”, refering to people who are neither male nor female.
There is also the “aero gender”, refers to people who claim that their gender fluctuates with their surroundings.
There is also the “gender fluid” or “gender flux”, that is, persons alleging that their gender is in permanent flux. For example, in one month they could claim to be males and in another month they could claim to be females.
There is also the “demi gender” that is, persons who claim that they are partially male and partially female.
There is also the “adamas gender”, that is, persons who cannot be categorized either as male or female. Right now in Alberta, Canada and in some parts of the West employers of labour are barred from asking their employees to disclose their sex or gender or stating specifically whether they should be addressed as “Mr.” or “Mrs.” or “Miss” or “Ms.” or any other thing. Employers of labour who violate this “human right” of their employees stand the risk of being dragged to the law court.
There is also the “amica gender”, that is, persons who claim that their gender changes depending on which friend they are with at a particular time.
Therefore when we are talking about LGBTQ and Gender Identities, please understand that it is a big deal that should be taken seriously.
16 January 2021
Nigerian and Queer 🌈
With the evolution of the internet there is no question that the LGBTQ Community in Nigeria is on the periphery, but it has found a stable haven for collective LGBTQ voices on a digital platforms.
Social media as well as various dating gay-friendly websites have in recent time created a safe and anonymous life spa e where LGBTQ can express themselves freely social media and other gay-friendly apps and websites where they can come out to connect, advocate, find emotional and financial support, and the courage to be open about their sexuality’ even with the knowledge that the society frowns at us and what we stand for.
Social media now allows the queer Nigerian to unapologetically express their sexuality, for example, you can incorporate vocabularies such as ‘’gay’’, ‘’homo’’ and ‘’queer’’ . You can also use the rainbow, which is the global emblem of LGBTQ activism in your handle.
The downside is that the digital space can also expose you to blackmail and assault that can lead to being arrested by the police and like you know the Nigerian law is not in support of LGBTQ.
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
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