on may 30, 2013, nigerian lawmakers passed a bill called “same sex marriage (prohibition) bill,” which impossed up to 14 years of jail for anyone who was convicted of same-sex sexual relationship.
at the time global human rights organizations such as amnesty international, as well as local lgbt organizations like queer aliance nigeria, condemned this. the nigerian government seemed to have to been calm about it.
then on january 6th, the president signed the bill. it led to arrests of lgbt people in the country since.
bisi alimi, a nigerian gay activist, said that there are two arguments against homosexuality in nigerian society today:
1) that homosexuality is not african rooted.
2) since it’s not african, it’s also against the bible.
bisi had delivered a lecture a few days ago, negating both of these ideas. you can read the entire article here: bit.ly/1m8iBCb
because nigeria is around 51% muslim, it’s also important to understand that queer sexuality against islam. daayiee abdullah, an openly gay imam, has talked about this. you can read that article here: alj.am/190g3jx
