The National Assembly recently passed a legislation prohibiting same-sex marriage in Nigeria. This development gave rise to an uproar among the international community and some gay right activists. John Oba, in this piece sought the opinion of some Nigeria youths on the issue.
Nearly one third of Nigeria’s total population of 167million is between the ages of 10 and 24. Nigerian adolescents’ sizeable share of the population makes them integral to the country’s social, political and economic development. Nigeria’s development is compromised by the sexual and reproductive health issues afflicting its youth. Lack of sexual health information and services make young people vulnerable to sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and unintended pregnancy. Though many organisations are working to improve adolescent reproductive and sexual health through advocacy and prevention programming, there are still cases of youth sexual moral degradation.
Nigeria was arguably a country, whose citizens hold strongly to issues of moral chastity coordinated by religious institutions, but today like Prince Ebije, the Senior Special Assistant (SSA) Media, Niger State said in a piece he titled “Gay Marriage and Its Dramatic Effect On Religion in Nigeria: Same sex issue has grown from its silent days of Dan Daudu,”? where those attributed to same sex preference deny same with all their might, to an era when it has metamorphosed into an issue of right that must be protected. Today, human rights organisations are out to even offer protection to those who are practicing same sex relationships or marriages.
In a study of 5,998 Dutch adults, Theo G.M. Sandforte, T. Graaf, R. Bijl, R. Schnabel, P. (2001) on same-sex Sexual Behaviour and Psychiatric Disorders: Findings from the Netherlands Mental Health Survey and Incidence,” Archives of General Psychiatry), “Homosexual behaviour significantly increases the likelihood of psychiatric, mental and emotional disorders.”
The study further said, “Youths are four times more likely to suffer major depression, almost three times as likely to suffer generalised anxiety disorder, nearly four times as likely to experience conduct disorder, four times as likely to commit suicide, five times as likely to have nicotine dependence, six times as likely to suffer multiple disorders, and more than six times as likely to have attempted suicide.”
LEADERSHIP interacted with some Nigerian youths on this issue and their responses are revealing.
Sarah Fasarah, said: “The agitation for the right of gays in Nigeria runs short of our cultural, moral and religious values and norms. These are aside the health implication of such practices. When God created man, he created a woman, (not another man) to be his helpmate and companion. This, in itself, tells us all we need to know.”
Nina Agbenyi, a student also aired her view, “The question on gay right in Nigeria is one of the issues to be treated with absoluteness. If we are living in a world created by the Almighty God, then we should be careful and treat issues with ethical concern and not only on morality. God detastes, hates and condemns the act of gays. Animals do not practice lesbianism or homosexuality, why then should man who was created with honour and dignity?
In creation, the model of pair was demonstrated by one man and one woman, and not two men or two women, the logic behind the creation model was adopted by natural occurrences as seen in the magnetic world where like poles repel and unlike poles attract. Since being gay is about two men in marriage relationship or two women in such a relationship, it means, then, that trying to twist the natural order would attract a grievous consequence not only on the gays but the society at large. Many contemporary issues where man downturns the natural order leads to consequences such as ozone layer depletion, HIV/AIDS and so on. Therefore, it should not even be mentioned among human, it is disgusting and irritating.”
Also, the Nigeria Youth Parliament Speaker, Hon Abdullahi H. MaiBasira, in a chat with LEADERSHIP said: “As Africans and also as believers of faith, gay in any form and? under any guise is highly condemnable, alien to our society and the growth of which, both Muslims and Christians, who have and continued to pray for this nation should reject. However we respect the rights of Nigerians to freely associate, gay should be rejected by the society,” he said.
“As Youths, we must move away from all forms of activities and vices of derogatory tendencies which lack any productive outcome. I will urge religious clerics, governments at all levels to freely campaign against this vice which is unbecoming of a morally conscious society such as Nigeria.”
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