It is no longer news that Nigeria’s president, Goodluck Jonathan, has signed the ‘Jail the Gays’ bill into law. The Same Sex Marriage Prohibition law stipulates a 14 years jail term for same-sex marriage and 10 years imprisonment for public show of same-sex affection. The legislation stipulates a 10 year imprisonment for anyone who aids, abets or witness same sex relationship or marriage. The law also imposes a 10 year jail term on human rights defenders who advocate for LGBT rights or 
hold meetings to promote LGBT rights.
Ever since the news broke, homophobic Nigerians have been celebrating the so called ‘bravery’ of their clueless president, for what they see as ‘standing up to the western imperialists’, whom they alleged want to impose the ‘gay agenda’ on Africans. Many of those homophobes especially religious Nigerians, have been coming up with some of the most ridiculous excuses for supporting the ‘Jail the Gays’ law. Of course, there can be no reasonable excuse to support 14 years imprisonment based on sexual orientation or for holding meetings to discuss the human rights of Minorities.
No reasonable, rational and decent person would support depriving any human of their basic human rights including the Freedom of Expression, Freedom of Association and Freedom from discrimination, Freedom from torture, Right to privacy and Right to found a family. It is not surprising that some of those anti-LGBT remarks are not just ridiculous; they are plain stupid, bigoted and have ignorance at their very heart.
I will address some of those remarks under different posts which I will catalogue under the title and tag ‘Stupid, homophobic arguments in support of Nigeria’s ‘Jail the Gays bill’. I will kick-start this with the comment below which unfortunately was made by my good friend and comrade. This particular self-righteous indignation has been rearing its ugly head in many discussions. It has been raised by those who think it justifies signing the ‘Jail the gays’ bill. So let’s tackle it.
THE US AND UN SHOULD SHUT UP!!!!!!!!!! WHY DONT THEY ALLOW THOSE WHO WANT TO BE POLYGAMOUS, HAVE THEIR RIGHTS IN THEIR OWN VILLAGE?
1- I am assuming this is a cultural comparison because of the reference to polygamy. If you are making a “Homosexuality is not in our culture’ argument, it would do you a lot of good to read up on sexual orientation, the history of various African societies who had native names for homosexuals and many of whom actually lived in peace with homosexuals before the white colonialists came with their foreign religion and sodomy laws.
Above all, it would be good for you and all others who make this cultural argument to understand that culture is fluid, dynamic and it changes. Culture is a way of life and you cannot force anyone to live their lives the same way their ancestors did. Your pristine shirt, suits and tie are not part of pre-colonial African culture, as are your wigs, champagne and that Chinese food you order to impress. No one is criminalizing you for not wearing what your ancestors wore, for not drinking same ‘burukutu’ as your ancestors or for not eating what your ancestors ate.
Some of the things that could be called cultural like Female genital mutilation, forced marriages and depriving women of the right to own land have been abrogated. It would be very stupid to scream “Don’t stop the killing of twins in Calabar, it is our culture! Believe me; it is also stupefyingly ridiculous when you use the cultural argument to justify criminalizing gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transsexuals.
We are all creators of culture; therefore the cultural argument is null and void from the very beginning. This was addressed in my blog post Debunking the myths: Is Homosexuality, Bisexuality or Transsexualism Un-African or Unnatural? and also discussed in my book “Freedom to Love For All” Homosexuality is not Un-African.
2- Polygamy is not only indigenous to Africa. So many of the western nations also have histories of polygamy; however this is beside the point.
Anyone who has respect for equality should be aware of the patriarchal nature of polygamy. As long as Polyandry, a system where a woman is allowed to take two or more husbands, is not allowed, polygamy remains a sexist, misogynist pat
riarchal tool of oppression. It is not surprising that this is not legally recognized in democratic societies that value equality.
I will support polygamy as long as polyandry is also accepted. It is not my business how many number of partners people want to have in their relationship or marriage. I also do not concern myself about the gender of anyone’s partner. As long as they are consensual adults, in a non harmful relationship, it is their decision to make.
Those who are not in support of polyandry or polyamorous relationships and marriages but scream “why not legalize polygamy”, should keep their hypocritical mouth shut!
Above all, homosexuality is not a lifestyle choice. Monogamy, Polygamy, BDSM and Abstinence are lifestyle choices. Heterosexuality, homosexuality, bisexuality and asexuality are not life style choices; they are under the umbrella of what is scientifically known as sexual orientation. We can make choices on our preferred type of marriage, relationships, sexual preferences or sexual positions but we cannot choose our sexual orientation.
3- It is very childish to say the UN or USA should shut up on the violations of human rights of minorities, just because some of their member states do not recognize polygamy. It is very childish to think because most western societies do not legally recognize polygamy but recognize LGBT rights, it is a reason to put lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transsexuals in your community into prison or even kill them. This is not a very bright argument. You should know better and even scold your brain dead government for being such lousy leaders. You do not criminalize innocent people just because you do not like the attitude of their supporters.
BTW, there are people in the western states who are beginning to mobilize for the recognition of Polyamorous relationships, and I am very much in their support. Polyamory is not polygamy or polyandry, it is a type of relationship where
two or more people of same sex, different biological sex or genders come together to be in a relationship or marriage. Poly activists want this type of relationship legally recognized and I am staunchly in their support. The non harmful relationship of consenting adults should not be the business of the law or anyone who is not a partner in the relationship.
Please, stop poke nosing into the emotional/sex lives of lesbians, gays, bisexuals and Transsexuals. If you don’t have your own emotional/sexual relationships, just poke your nose or fucking fingers at your own heart or inside your sexual organ. Live and let’s live, let LGBTs live in peace!
Standing up to the west by imprisoning Nigerians?
I don’t see how they can think that’s rational.
The only thing worse than a stupid position is a stupid argument for it. Seriously, do these people think that their leaders, once permitted to forbid certain thoughts, criminalize certain perspectives, delineate against certain assertions, will restrict only the minority groups they themselves oppose? Once the process of tyranny begins, it will not rest until it removes all non-expedient identities. Power is the ultimate goal of power, and allowing one’s leaders to achieve that power by means of thought criminalization is foolish in the extreme.
I agree with you completely. However, I wanted to point out that BDSM is in fact a sexual orientation and not a choice. BDSM covers a broad scale of sexual preferences. It is much more than sado-masochism and the mental wirings are real! Biology is a complex thing. My take is that as long as these sexual orientation do not cause physical harm to parties involved, then by all means, live life and fuck to the fullest! I should add that in sex between consenting adults, “harm” is relative as it pertains to BDSM.
I remain your strong supporter. I’m Nigerian by the way.
This business of portraying homophobia as anti-imperialist and anti-colonialist………argh it just drives me crazy.
Islam and Christianity are indigenous?
It is more than Nigerian LGBTIs denouncing and condemning the signing of the ‘Jail the Gays’ bill in Nigeria. I am accused of being gay and was given a veiled threat not to return to Nigeria because of my support for LGBTI human rights and for my condemnation of African of homophobia.
No offence to Nigerians, it appears to me that 90% of these “homophobic” Nigerians would gladly hop on a plane to the “western imperialists” if given visas to the USA or Canada.
Homophobic Nigerians would gladly live and work amongst homosexuals and people they think wants to impose a ‘gay agenda’ on Africans.
Nevertheless sometime situations appear worse/challenging before it changes for the better/improve.
This business of portraying homophobia as anti-imperialist and anti-colonialist………argh it just drives me crazy.
The same people who make this argument will also claim homophobia is a legacy of European colonialism.
So you’d think ‘Hey, why not fight colonialism by rejecting the homophobia of your former colonial masters?’
But no, homophobia is both caused by colonialism and a resistance to it.
Ouf… is there a 600 pound gorilla in the room which noone talks about, or not?
Is it not the case the case that a society, in which noone seems particularly bothered by seeing someone else being set ablaze or getting his head bashed in in the marketplace in broad daylight, is at a such low civilisational level, that discourse between them and other societies is largely futile ?
Is it not the case that “homophobia” is a random and rather meaningless accusation, when in reality any non-reason is good enough to bash in each others’ heads with blunt objects ?
Is it not the case that meaningful changes in such societies are subject to slow gradual change over centuries ?
Is it not the case that helpless banter from the diaspora is generally ignored by the masses and therefor has no effect on these processes ?
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I think some aggressive questioning is warranted.
@Yemisi Ilesanmi: Who exactly are you writing for, and who exactly are you adressing with your writing ? Does your activism aim for the actual betterment of anyone’s life in Nigeria, and if so, how does it achieve that goal ?
Hi Yemisi, I’d be so happy if you helped me out with a question ok? In one of your videos, you discussed the traditional woman-woman marriage which are part of the customary settings in some West African societies (including some ethnic groups in Nigeria) & which anthropologists like Melville Herskovits have documented. I also read up on it & discovered that some scholars (eg: Ife Amadiume) argue that the purpose of woman-woman marriage was solely for childbearing but others argue that in the same way heterosexual marriages are entered into for varied reasons (including childbearing & emotional/ sexual reasons), people in traditional African societies might have engaged in woman-woman marriages for a host of reasons (including as a means for lesbian/ bi women in the society to obtain emotional/ sexual satisfaction etc.).
So I just wanted to ask whether the new ‘Anti-Same Sex Marriage’ Act in Nigeria abolishes these traditional woman-woman marriages also? & if it doesnt abolish them, can Nigerian lesbians employ the custom to get married? Thanks
Schlumbumbi-
Not on my blog, could be that there is one living in your head, occupying the space where your brain should be. 🙂
So, you are suggesting we should stop any discourse about discrimination and violence towards another because you think none is bothered by seeing another set ablaze? I do not know what society you live in, but in most societies on this planet earth, including Nigeria, many would be seriously bothered by the uncommon sight of seeing someone being set ablaze by another. The outrage and outcry that followed the ALUU 4 killings is a reference point. Maybe you are a sole inhabitant of such a society in your head, in which case it would be futile to have a discussion with yourself about the low level of civilization in your imaginary society.
Homophobia is a phobia. A phobia is an irrational fear. Homophobia is an irrational fear of homosexuality, which in most cases lead to discrimination, hate and violence against homosexuals. Hate, discrimination and violence towards homosexual is the case in many African societies, so how is this a “random and meaningless accusation”?
I do not live in a society where “any non-reason is good enough to bash in each others’ heads with blunt objects?” You are probably thinking of the society in your head where you are the sole inhabitant.
Not all meaningful changes are so slow as to take decades before we see a meaningful change. It dod not take a millennia before Mary Slessor was able to stop the long standing cultural practice of the killing of twins in Calabar, Eastern part of Nigeria. Also, whether changes comes slowly or not, this is not a reason to stop demanding for change . The demand itself is a step forward towards change. A step forward is never a bad thing.
You really should learn not to leave your mouth in park if your brain is not in gear.
I think you should grow a brain or see your doctor.
You should be able to figure this out even with a not so evolved brain. You have (had) access to internet, you found my blog, you found one of my posts interesting enough to read and leave a comment. Just letting you know that anyone with internet access is my prospective audience. Not so difficult to figure out now, is it?
Truly, grow a brain before you leave a comment on my blog. I am not a fan of ignorance and you have exhibited so much of it in just one comment that I have no choice but to put any further comment from you on moderation, which btw, is just a step away from the trash can. If you want your comment approved, put on your thinking cap before leaving a comment on my blog.
Ekuba-
It could definitely be argued in a court of law that the Nigerian ‘Same Sex Marriage Prohibition’ law has unintentionally abolished the traditional practice of Same Sex Marriages in some parts of Nigeria.
As I wrote in my book Freedom To Love For ALL: Homosexuality is not Un-African
Yes, the cultural reason was so that a family without a male child could still have a child carry on the family name. This was ensured through customary provision for the eldest daughter to marry a woman who would bear a child in the family name.
The only way this could work for ALL lesbians and bisexuals in Nigeria is --
1- If they come from that particular area in Nigeria where the custom is recognized
2- If there is no male child in their family
3- If they are the eldest daughter
Outside the above circumstances, it would be impossible to invoke this culture to justify Same Sex Marriage in a court of law. Remember, it is a cultural practice that is peculiar to a particular area. All the circumstance must be met before anyone can appeal to cultural practice in a court of law.
Thanks for bringing up the possible effect of the ‘Anti-LGBT’ law on the customary practice of Same sex marriage in Calabar, Nigeria. 🙂
@Yemisi Ilesanmi : *slowclap* you’re really as dumb as you look.
@ Yemisi: thanks for the explanation. It’s so sad that the law has possibly banished such an ancient custom. It’s so funny that the christian & muslim leaders are pushing this law claiming homosexuality is un-African & yet their religions were brought to Nigeria by foreigners.
@ Schlumbumbi: & you’re even dumber than that handle you’re using sounds 🙂
‘A society where no one is bothered by seeing someone set ablaze’ -- where in the world has such a society ever existed? Even in medieval times people in Europe weren’t just running around setting each other on fire were they? There was some semblance of order. How would any society survive if ALL the members see nothing wrong in burning each other & they take to doing just that? Seriously, if you’d spent just one second thinking carefully, you’d not have made those ridiculously daft statements.
@Schlumbumbi- Typical scum attitude, can’t deal with facts, so opts to attack looks. Thanks for confirming just how stupid you really are. And now, you go straight to the trash can. Bye. 🙂