I am writing in reactio
n to a recent statement credited to Nigeria’s Senate President, David Mark that the ban on same sex marriage was irrevocable. For me, this statement is unfortunate and demonstrates an unwarranted obsession with homophobia and a legislative disconnect of the senate leader from the comtemporary world. Any intelligent member of the Nigerian society easily understands how completely unnecessary and a distraction this so-called ban is.
Nigeria has so many pressing national issues requiring urgent attention. It is important to reiterate that it makes no legislative sense to ban same sex marriage in a country where homosexuality is a crime under the law. I mean where lies the legality of a same sex union when same sexual(homosexual) act is an offence? Nigerian lawmakers should please stop wasting our legislative resources, and rather focus on issues of national significance.
Also using the civic reception of John Cardinal Olorunfemi Onaiyekan to the fan the flames of hatred and persecution of sexual minorities and to promote his skewed sense of ‘decency’ in Nigeria in immoral. It is also another clear indication of how the Senate and the church in Nigeria are together in prosecuting a ‘crusade’ against gay people in the country. The senate president is not a religious leader. He is a democractically elected official. He is not obliged to endorse the position of the church on any issue. Nigeria is a democracy, not a theocracy. So it is not the duty of the Senate president or the lawmakers to dictate or legislate when it comes to matters concerning sexual relationship among consenting adults.
The Senate president has demonstrated a misjudgement of his duties and a poor understanding of what constitutes‘decency’, ‘humanity’, ‘human rights’, ‘morality’, ‘sanity’, and ‘good values’.
What should be irrevocable is not be the ban on same sex marriage but the committment of the Senate and the government of Nigeria to protecting and promoting the universal human rights of all persons despite the race, ethnic origin, sex, sexual orientation, religion or belief even when such commitment conflicts with the position of the church or of any other religious group in the country
Bayreuth, Germany.
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