USA Africa Dialogue Series - Same sex bill: A moral rectitude or class genocide?

Same sex bill: A moral rectitude or class genocide?

KAYODE KETEFE

The Chief Priest hoisted the baby in one arm while wielding his axe with the other; he surveyed the gathering of his clansmen and women clad in traditional dress who were looking expectant.

They were expecting the Chief Priest to help them send the evil back to where it came from. The wailing of the mother of the children -the bringer of the evil, could be heard from a distant hut. Suddenly, the Chief gave a loud shout and cut the first baby into two!

Then he muttered some silent prayers into his flowing beard as he picked the second child whom he hacked to pieces with a flourish! There was a shout of joy as the party broke into tribal dances.

The foregoing was an attempt to re-enact the dark era when twins were being killed in some parts of Nigeria. The birth of twins was seen as something horribly unnatural which must not be allowed to spread, hence the killings.

They self-same righteous outrage the traditional people felt towards twins whose birth they regarded as a prognostication of evil, is what the people are feeling today, in 21^st century, towards the people of eccentric sexuality, that is those with the sexual preferences within the gamut of  Lesbianism, Gayism, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT).  

Just two weeks ago, Nigeria's second legislative chambers, the House of Representatives, passed Same Sex (Prohibition) Bill. Under the provisions of the bill "Gay or lesbian couple who marry face up to 14 years each in prison. Witnesses or anyone who helps couples marry could be sentenced to 10 years behind bars. Anyone taking part in a group advocating for gay rights or anyone caught in a "public show" of affection also would face 10 years in prison if convicted by a criminal court."

The bill had initially been passed by the House of Senate in 2011.  With this latest development, the coast is now clear for the last ritual in the processes of legislative law making- the presidential assent.

If that should come, the fate of a minority segment of the Nigerian population is sealed. Few years back, we read that some outraged, self-appointed "social reformers" assaulted the Nigerian self-confessed gay pastor,  Revd. Jide Macaulay, and beat up the members of his church. Now, if the bill is assented to, it would no longer be misguided zealots alone who would be persecuting the LGBT people, the state's agents, too would join in the seemingly class genocidal campaign.  

While a nation has the responsibility to morally appraise itself and channel its compass toward rectitude, it must do so with extreme caution and introspection, especially concerning what it defines as immorality. If there is anything that remains nebulous, and protean, it is human's definition of what is moral or immoral.

Until recently the albinos were regarded as abnormal people tainted by the gods while those born with male and female organs (hermaphrodites) were stoned to death on the streets for being witches and harbinger of evil!

On a comparatively lighter note, as a child, I had witnessed scenes in which people were shouting "Ashewo! Ashewo!" (Prostitutes! prostitutes!) on ladies  who wore trousers!  But today, majority of Nigerian young ladies wear trousers with impunity! The perception has changed.

When the Senate passed this same billon November 29, 2011, I wrote an article in denunciation entitled "Same sex bill: Why the Senate is wrong!" (Still available on the internet) The article fetched me fiery condemnations via text messages across the length and breadth of Nigeria.

But a person that keeps silent on the grounds that it is other peoples' rights that are being infringed and not his, deserves any other name but a conscientious soul.

Today, we know via science that it is difficult to categorically pronounce a person a man or woman by assessment based on mere physical appearance alone. This exactly is the reason why gender tests are at times conducted on female footballers and sprinters.

If we ask any of our lawmakers what are the fundamental criteria that unequivocally prove that a person is a man or woman in consonance with modern science, chances are that overwhelming majority would not know, yet they want LGBT people to be thrown into jail.

I don't claim to understand why the gays, lesbians etc people are different from the rest of us, but I think the mere fact that they are different should not be the reason why they should be hounded into prison.

The claim of these people is that their preferences were dictated by biological propensity rather than mere licentious perversion. It appears to me that until this claim is discredited via empirical research, it would be inhumane for the rest of the society to conspire against them and render them social outcasts and victims of persecutorial legislation.

Aside the issue of human rights, the impracticability of enforcement of the proposed legislation should give any right-thinking person a cause for worry. How would the law enforcement agents identify those who infringe the new law?

Is it when they see a man and a man (or two ladies) holding hands on the street that they would arrest them for attempted gayism or lesbianism? Would they break into people's houses and violate their privacy to ensure it is the "correct" type of coition that is taking place and not the forbidden ones?

President Goodluck Jonathan, who claims to have respect for human rights, should refuse to sign this bill into law. A civilised system is the one which cater to the legitimate needs of all its constituents without undue discrimination. The President must not allow himself to be prevailed upon to trample on the rights of others in the name of cleansing the society of "evils", lest history might give him the same place as the infanticidal Chief Priest at the beginning of this article.