President Barack Obama
John Shiklam in Kaduna and Rebecca Ejiform
The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and Project for Human Development (PHD), a civil society organisation, have asked President Muhammadu Buhari to resist any form of blackmail or pressure to repeal the on law same sex marriage in Nigeria as he visits President Barack Obama of the United States of America.
The Director of Mobilisation of CAN, Mr. Sunday Oibe, in an interview with THISDAY in Kaduna, described the decision of yesterday the Supreme Court in America to legalise same-sex marriage as the highest form of ungodliness.
He maintained that Muslims, Christians and animists in Nigeria had taken a unanimous stand against same sex marriages, declaring that there was no going back on the issue, no matter the amount of pressure or blackmail from any foreign nation.
Oibe said: “President Buhari should not give in to any pressure from any quarters on the issue of same sex marriage. Whatever the agenda of his meeting with President Obama, our president is aware that Nigerians will not subscribe to same sex marriage.”
He declared: “The judgement of God is upon anyone who subscribed to same sex marriage,” noting that Nigeria has taken an official position against same sex marriage.
“If there is anything that unite Christians, Muslims and animists in this country, it is the issue of this same-sex marriage.
“If America which was founded on the word of God has decided to be ungodly and taken position against God, the repercussion of their action is coming because Sodom and Gomorrah was destroyed by God over the same sin that America has committed.”
According to him, “When a nation takes an official position against God, it is doomed. America was founded on the premise of the word of God. If you see the currency of America, there is an inscription ‘In God We Trust.’
“This means that the founding fathers of the American nation depended on God during their struggles in their trying moments.”
He said it was unfortunate that the American Supreme Court, in the name of human rights and freedom, has decided to undermine the thinking of the founding fathers of this nation that has reached the peak of greatness through the grace of God.
He added that one of the things that Nigerians will continue to celebrate former President Goodluck Jonathan for, was his signing of the law against same sex marriage, despite opposition from some of the western nations, especially the US.
Also, PHD at a rally in Lagos, against the backdrop of Buhari’s visit to the US, has urged Buhari not to listen to the US government on gay rights issue, so as to protect the laws and values of Nigeria.
The theme of the rally was, ‘Gay Marriage: Obama, Please Leave Nigeria Alone.’
Buhari will today be at Washington DC on a four-day official visit, during which he will hold talks with President Obama and other senior officials of the US government.
The Director-General of PHD, Mr. Jerry Okwuosa, said the rally was to hint Buhari on the fears by Nigerians that Obama might ask him to decriminalise “the Same Sex Prohibition Law of Nigeria.”
According to him, this is a way for the US to promote gay rights, which is a part of America foreign policy.
”The US is now the major exporter of gay rights in the world. It has recently pressurised Uganda for a reverse of its anti-gay law.
“Under the influence of the US, Mozambique has recently decriminalised its anti-gay law. At the moment, US is putting pressure on Kenya to legalise gay marriage.
“President Obama is meeting with President Buhari tomorrow to discuss issues which include security, economy, Ebola and gay marriage legalisation in Nigeria.
“Fear is being entertained that Obama might trade off US assistance to President Buhari’s government with shooting down Jonathan’s anti-gay law.
“We are however, urging President Buhari to reject such a trade-off, ” he said.
Also speaking, Mr. Sonnie Ekwowusi, a director of PHD, noted that the only way to avoid chaos in any society was for the legislature to make laws in accordance with the values and aspirations of the people.
According to him, homosexuality is not Nigeria culture; it is a taboo or abomination.
According to him, homosexuality is not Nigeria culture; it is a taboo or abomination.
“Homosexuality is not our culture. Every society has its own values and should grow with those values. Nigeria has her own values and we must stick to our values and tradition.
“Laws are made in consonant with the values of the people. Every country is interested in protecting what it holds dear.
“Our view is that homosexuality is an acquired habit that ought to be eradicated and not be transformed into an acceptable human conduct by law (in Nigeria).
“Our recommendation with regard to same sex marriage is absolute prohibition,” Ekwowusi said.
The US Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, had stated that America would continue to pressurise Nigeria until it legalises same sex marriage.
She made this known on July 13 during a live-web chat with journalists in Washington.
The peaceful rally featured placards with inscriptions such as- ‘Obama, Please leave Nigeria Alone’; ‘Gay Marriage should Remain Illegal in Nigeria’; ‘Obama is Not God’; ‘Gay Marriage, Buhari Don’t Listen to Obama.’
The protesters, numbering about 50, including lawyers and youth leaders of both sexes, paraded from the Tafawa Balewa Square, through Lagos City Hall, to the MUSON Centre.
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