¨GREAT EVIL¨ -- ANTI-LGBT HATE PROMOTED IN NIGERIA: “...insidious bill that appears to be limited to same-gender marriage, but is actually an attack on basic rights”

The Primate, Church of Nigeria, the Anglican Communion, Most Rev. Nicholas D. Okoh, has described the practice of homosexuality, lesbianism and gay marriage as great evils that must neither be condoned nor allowed to further exist in our society. HERE

Anglican Archbishop Nicholas Okoh, Nigeria

“The church has zero tolerance for homosexuality. The only time they will accept someone being homosexual is if they come to ‘confess’ and ‘repent’ of it, to say they are cured so they can be forgiven.”  Damian Ugwu, Social Justice Advocacy Initiative.

¨Homosexual and lesbian practices are considered offensive to public morality in Nigeria.¨

¨Rights groups in Nigeria fear a same-sex marriage bill being discussed in parliament could boost already prevalent discrimination against homosexuals. The bill goes much further than banning same-sex marriage; it threatens to ban the formation of groups supporting homosexuality, with imprisonment for anyone who “witnesses, abet[s] or aids” same-gender relationships, and could lead to any discussion or activities related to gay rights being banned.

Under a colonial-era law, sodomy is punishable by a 14-year jail sentence; and in the country’s mainly Muslim northern states, where a version of Shar’ia law applies, the penalty is death by stoning, although this has never officially been carried out.

The National Assembly began debating the latest version of the Same Sex Marriage (Prohibition) Bill in November. Most high-ranking officials have voiced their approval of the bill, signalling it is likely to pass....¨ HERE

·  Thanks to Damian Ugwu
·  Thanks to Social Justice Advocacy Initiative
·  Thanks to Paul Canning
·  Thanks to LGBT Asylum News, sidebar
·  Thanks to Human Rights Watch
·  Thanks to Graeme Reid
·  Thanks to Changing Attitude, Nigeria

NOTE: Changing Attitude, Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion, will campaign against the prohibition of marriage between persons of the same sex bill recently introduced in the Senate of Nigeria. HERE

¨Changing Attitude Nigeria (CAN) deplores the introduction of “A bill for an act to prohibition marriage between persons of same sex, solemnisation of same and for other matters related therewith” in the Nigerian Parliament.

The Bill will have an immediate negative effect, raising prejudice against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people in Nigeria and further demonizing us. Tens of thousands of LGBT will feel more vulnerable as a result. It is likely to lead to outbreaks of persecution and violence against people identified as lesbian and gay and will incite people to hate crimes. It will destroy the self esteem of LGBT people making many of us think less of ourselves and will lead to rejection in our homes, churches, schools and place of work...¨ read it all, HERE

COUNTDOWN--A WELL DESERVED RETIREMENT: Archbishop Peter Akinola, Anglican Primate/Nigeria, is RETIRING within the next 72 HOURS!

The Most Reverend Peter Akinola, Primate/Nigeria, Dar el Salaam Meeting

¨Akinola who is due for retirement in the next 72 hours was speaking at a farewell media parley in Abuja during which he formally introduced his would-be successor, Most Reverend Nicholas Dikeriehi Orogodo Okoh.¨ HERE

NEW PRIMATE FOR CHURCH OF NIGERIA

Primate-designate, Reverend Nicholas Dikeriehi Orogodo Okoh HERE

·Thanks to The Sun News On-line, Nigeria
·Thanks to The Episcopal Church, ¨Welcomes Everyone¨
·Thanks to David Green, The Episcopal/Pride Shield
·Thanks to Scott Gunn, +Akinola ¨Cover-up¨ Photo
·Thanks to Flickr Photo Sharing

ACCUSED: ¨religious leaders at Anglican Church of Nigeria are not living by their teachings, fuel corruption and other social vices¨

·Nigerian Senate President, David Mark

SENATE President David Mark, at a synod of the Bishops of Anglican Communion held in Kaduna recently, accused religious leaders in Nigeria of not living by the tenets of their teachings, lamenting that many of their actions fuel corruption and other social vices.

¨Practicing what they preach as well as following the teachings and matching their words with their actions.¨

According to the nation’s number three man, the widespread corruption being witnessed in the country would not have existed if the religious leaders were sincere in their teachings by practicing what they preach as well as following the teachings and matching their words with their actions.

·Archbishop of The Anglican Church of Nigeria, Peter Akinola, Primate

Disturbed with the negative trend, Mark stressed:

“Sometimes and without fear of being labelled heretic or uncharitable, public officials and politicians in Nigeria have been at their receiving end of an apparent blackmail emanating from our clergy.

·Gafcon Bishop Martyn Minns of CANA/NIGERIA and Bishop Akinola

Daily, such officials are inundated with requests for financial aid which is way beyond our personal income and even where so provided, are above approved budgetary limits. And this demand cuts across all religious bodies.”


True was Senate President’s statement that Christian-Muslim clergy interaction with leaders in Nigeria has become a signpost of “do as I say, but not as I do.” Clergymen of both faiths have abandoned their primary responsibilities.

·Anglican/Gafcon Nigerian Bishops and their CANA representative consider ¨sycophantic attitudes¨

Obviously, Senator Mark has spoken the minds of Nigerians who have for long been suffering from the sycophantic attitude of this category of influential Nigerians known as men of God.

Not just that, Mark’s position on the clergymen and his ability and courage to have told them this to their faces, needs to be commended by well-meaning Nigerians, especially those in position of authority.


The clergymen should consider Senator Mark’s accusation as a plain truth and a challenge to them as vicegerents of Allah (god) on earth. They should not see it as disrespect or a calculated campaign to smear their image. In consideration of their expected role to serve as models for the larger society, they need to appreciate their God-given important positions by shunning all corrupt and other negative tendencies, so that an egalitarian society could emerge.

Just like other classes of people, the clergymen have their shortcomings such as desperation in search of worldly materials from those in authority or well-to-do to the detriment of the larger society. We, however, believe that such shortcomings can be overcome by the clergy for the promotion and protection of their dignity in the society.

This, particularly, is surmountable when they (clergymen) equally summon the courage to tell those in position of authority and the privileged few in the society, the bitter truth and avoid running to them cap-in-hand for personal gains.

No doubt, time is now for the clergy in Nigeria to consciously leverage on their God-given power over their religious congregations to minimize the wanton anti-social behaviour that bestrides the nation today.¨ read it all, by Jumadal Thani at The Daily Triumph, click HERE

·Thanks to David Mark
·Thanks to The Nigerian Senate
·Thanks to The Daily Triumph
·Thanks to The Anglican Church of Nigeria
·Thanks to Jumadal Thani
·Thanks to Flickr Photosharing
·Thanks to Father David Heron, at the sidebar
·Thanks to The Reverend Dr. Christian Troll/GAFCON, at the sidebar