Question of the day: Will you support same sex marriage, gay rights in Nigeria?

Reactions have continued to trail the recent judgment by the US Supreme Court, which provides same-sex couples the constitutional right to marry, thereby handing a historic triumph to the American gay rights movement.



The court ruled 5-4 that the Constitution’s guarantees of due process and equal protection under the law mean that states cannot ban same-sex marriages.

Though the historic ruling, which was the culmination of decades of litigation and activism, triggered jubilations and tearful hugs from same-sex couples in the United States.

Since most of Nigeria's liberal views are built and tailored according to that of the United states, 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 only peculiar to their community. Here, same-sex sexual activity 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 isd eath 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.

Nigerian gays

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.

Nigerian lesbians

Now the question is, can you ever imagine same-sex becoming a way of life that Nigerians will one day come to terms with?

Is there any justification for the acceptance of same sex marriages and gay rights in Nigeria?

Kindly share your views below...