Now that the US has demonstrated its
commitment to equality before the law, by ensuring same-sex couples can now
marry in all 50 states of the confederate following its historic Supreme
Court’s ruling which gave marriage equality as a constitutional right
throughout the country one will wonder if this trend will find its way to
Nigeria.
In Nigeria, Lesbian, gay, bisexual,
and transgender (LGBT) persons are still facing legal and social
challenges. Here, same-sex sexual relationship is not only illegal, it is a
punishable offence.
According to the stipulations
of Same-Sex Marriage Prohibition Act in Nigeria, offenders are to
face 14 years’ imprisonment, and the punishment is death by stoning in the
twelve northern states that have adopted Sharia law, which applies to all
Muslims and to those who have voluntarily consented to application of the
Sharia courts in the region.
Nigeria has been criticized severely
by civil rights organizations, as well as the United Nations, for failing to
uphold, and violating, the rights of LGBT people but this has not changed the
cultural disposition of its people to the topic.
However, the golden question is, can
you ever imagine same-sex relationship and/ or marriage becoming a way of life
in Nigeria?
Use the comment box below to air
your view.
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