Nigeria Law Would Ban Gays from Associating

Nigeria has a small and deeply closeted gay community with very few openly gay Nigerians. It is illegal to engage in homosexual acts in Nigeria, and anyone convicted of violating that law faces prison in the south, which is mainly Christian, and in the mainly Muslim north, homosexuals face execution.

Lawmakers in Nigeria are now debating a proposed law that would ban same-sex marriage as well as any type of association at all among homosexuals—even sharing a meal at a restaurant or traveling together. The law, which is widely expected to pass, calls for penalties of up to five years in prison for people convicted of breaking it.

Activist Bisi Alimi, one of the few openly gay Nigerians, has been trying to garner opposition for the legislation, without much success. Alimi, 27, said that none of his companions have told their families that they are gay, because the subject is too taboo in their society and any public knowledge of their sexual orientation could lead to arrest, beatings, or even death.

Some of Alimi’s friends have reported that they don’t have the courage to tell their parents, or they don’t tell people because it is nobody’s business. One friend told Alimi, "Do heterosexual men go around telling the world they are attracted to women?" Some of the other activities that would be against the law if it passes include reading books or watching films with gay themes, belonging to gay clubs, or visiting Internet sites that "promote" homosexuality.

Attitudes towards gays across Africa are very similar. Amnesty International says that accusations of homosexuality and laws against gays have been used to wage war against political opponents in neighboring Cameroon. South Africa legalized gay marriages last month, making it the only African country to do so. But most people believe the act was a symbolic ban on all forms of discrimination in reaction to apartheid, than it was a show of tolerance and support for the gay lifestyle.

Haruna Yermia, a member of Nigeria’s House of Representatives, is in support of the proposed ban. Yermia believes social contact between gays must be restricted because it might encourage behavior that is "against our culture…against our religion." But Akin Marinho, a human rights lawyer in Nigeria, said that prohibiting gay associations is illegal under Nigeria’s constitution and international treaty obligations. Marinho said that foreign companies could face lawsuits if gay or lesbian employees are unable to fill positions in Nigeria.

Some conservatives are against the passing of the law. Bishop Joseph Ojo, minister to the congregation at the Calvary Kingdom Church, believes that gay relationships are "foreign to Africans’ and should be outlawed, but he also believes that homosexuals should "have freedom of speech and expression."