REPRESENTATIVE of the British Government in Nigeria, High Commissioner Andrew Lloyd, has reacted to Tuesday’s vote in the Nigerian Senate banning same-sex marriage in Nigeria.
In asking government to have a rethink on the issue, Commissioner Lloyed averred that it infringes on the fundamental human rights of choice and association of homosexuals.
Lloyd, who spoke yesterday in Dutse after a closed-door meeting with the Jigawa State Governor, Alhaji Sule Lamido, said countries have the right to exhibit their cultural and religious norms but that it is wrong to punish people for mere expression of their relationships or for choosing to become what they have chosen for themselves. “Punishment is infringement upon their fundamental human rights and the Western countries would not condone the action,” he said.
He said in-as-much-as the European countries are not trying to impose their culture or religion on certain countries or nations, it is imperative to avoid molesting, harassing or stigmatising anybody who chooses to have relationship with someone of the same sex.
He said the recent pronouncement by the British Prime Minister, David Cameron, that countries, which refuse to recognise the sexuality of some people would be sanctioned, is being overblown by the media.
The Senate on Tuesday stipulated 14-year jail term for offenders of the law against same sex union.
In a related development, the Progressive Action Congress (PAC) has praised the Senate for passing the bill prohibiting same sex marriage.
The National Chairman of PAC, Chief Charles Nwodo, made the commendation in a telephone interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja yesterday. He said that the passage was timely and commendable.
“We cannot be Africans and allow the invasion of negative foreign culture to mislead our own citizens. There is no way we can accept an abomination as a way of life,” he said.
He noted that the rights of people in any society has its own limits and that if those campaigning for such freedom were hiding behind human rights, then every criminal act will become a right.
“Nobody can accept same sex marriage in Nigeria bearing in mind that it is against our laws, culture, tradition and nature,’’ he added.
Corroborating PAC’s views, some lawyers in Lagos yesterday commended the Senate for the passing the bill, describing it as a “welcome development”. Charles Nneji described same sex marriage as “unnatural”, adding that although there might be some “rented crowd” who would frown at its prohibition, same sex marriage could never be equated with the natural law of nature.
He said Nigeria could not afford to emulate some of the countries that have gone ahead to legalise gay marriages, as it is unAfrica.