Let the hammer fall on same sex unions

The same-sex marriage between two males uncovered the other day in Delta State is a brazen example of growing disrespect to the country’s laws against same-sex unions and relationship in the country.

The Warri incident, where the police reportedly arrested 67 gay members, is a clear pointer that those who hold the country’s laws in contempt are ready to go to any length and damn the consequences, which may result in a breakdown of law and order, in addition to desecrating the country’s customs, tradition and public health.

The public is keen on what happens to culprits in this case, as lack of action or inadequate action by the authorities will encourage other law breakers in that mould, and may signal the beginning of more serious problems for the country. This potential problem, unless nipped promptly in the bud, will likely be complicated by the supportive position of the international community to the law breakers, as depicted in the response of Amnesty International.
  
Acting on a tip-off, operatives of the Delta State Police Command arrested 67 gay members who were, in violation of the Same-Sex Marriage (Prohibition) Act of 2014, conducting and attending a same-sex marriage between Daniel Pius, ‘male’ (the groom), aged 22, and Maxwell Ohwonohwo, ‘male’ (the bride), at Teebolus Hotel, Ekpan, near Warri, Delta State, at 9:00 p.m.

As the operatives swiftly arrived at the said hotel and swooped on the gay ‘couple’ and other gay members, most of whom were males dressed in female attire with artificial breasts and long wigs, they fled in different directions. The police officers gave chase and eventually arrested 67 of them.
  
At the crime scene, police recovered the following items: one codeine bottle, three cups of refined Canadian loud, five sachets of skunk, one sachet of tramadol, four tablets of molly drug, one crusher, and gay marriage ceremonial dresses. The police also possess a recorded video of the gay wedding, and have vowed to prosecute the suspects. Under the Same-Sex Marriage (Prohibition) Act of 2014, enacted during former President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration, same-sex marriage and public displays of same-sex relationships attract prison sentences ranging between 10 to 14 years upon conviction in a court of law. Establishing, supporting, and participating in gay weddings, gay meetings, and gay organisations are also punishable under the Act.

In any case, gay marriage and LGBT are antithetical to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights 1948, the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, and all the regional instruments in Africa. The consensus reached at the various United Nations Conferences is that laws passed in every developing country, and indeed African countries, must reflect the diverse social, economic, and environmental conditions of the continent with full respect for their religious, cultural backgrounds, and philosophical convictions. There is no known international law that obliges Nigeria and other African countries to legalise gay marriage and LGBTQ1+.
  
Notwithstanding this position, the Western countries are constantly pressuring Nigeria and other African countries to embrace LGBTQ1+. U.S. President Joe Biden has made LGBTQ1+ the centerpiece of American foreign policy. As far as the U.S. is concerned, any country that has not legalised LGBTQ1+ rights is not in the good graces of the U.S. To this effect, LGBTQ1+ cartoons targeted at underage African children are widespread across Africa. School syllabi in Nigeria have been corrupted and tainted with LGBTQ1+ ideology. Unbelievably, subscription to LGBTQ1+ aberration is now a precondition for awarding World Bank-sponsored projects and academic research grants in academia in Nigeria.
 
For instance, Nigerian university lecturers opposed to LGBTQ1+ and sexual orientation aberrations are reportedly being denied research grants. The U.S. government has imposed sanctions on Uganda for enacting the Ugandan Anti-Homosexuality Act. The U.S. is also contemplating restricting the issuance of U.S. visas to Ugandan government officials.

Former President Obama plotted against former President Goodluck Jonathan for outlawing LGBTQ1+ in Nigeria. The European Union (EU) is currently pressuring Africa-Caribbean and Pacific countries (ACP) to sign the devious EU-ACP agreement mandating the ACP countries to legalise LGBTQ1+, abortion, and transgenderism in their respective countries.

And Nigeria should hold tenaciously to this position notwithstanding the threats or sanctions brandished by the West. LGBTQ1+ goes against our culture, tradition, and beliefs. The West lacks the authority to make laws for Nigeria or dictate the way and manner in which the country formulates her laws. Only marriages contracted between a man and a woman, either under Islamic law, customary law, or the Marriage Act, are recognised as valid in Nigeria.
  
A people without identity are a people without existence. Europe and America are now defined by LGBTQ1+ and same-sex marriages. Nigeria cannot adopt this deviation or blindly emulate foreign lifestyles. Gay practices and gay marriages are illegal in Nigeria, as per the Same Sex (Marriage) Prohibition Act of 2014. Therefore, the attempt to force LGBTQ1+ on Nigeria is illegal, wrong, unhealthy and repugnant to Nigeria’s custom, tradition and religion. It must remain so in the interest of the country’s democracy, foundational philosophical and legal principles.