Homosexuality in Nigeria

The irrational fear of homosexuality has integrated itself into every corner of the world, but is especially prevalent in Africa. Here, strong religious affiliations have stoked the flames of a homophobic culture, causing gays to hide their sexual preferences to escape beatings and exile. In Nigeria, punishing gays has been one of the few political aims that spans the Muslim-Christian divide. According to an article on Feb 11th in The Economist, homosexual Nigerians have been forced to leave most churches in the country due to pronounced anti-gay beliefs. The sole church catering to the persecuted gays is the House of Rain, led by pastor Rowland Jide Macaulay. Macaulay has had a history of abuse towards himself and his followers, as members of his congregation were frequently beaten and raped upon leaving services. After fleeing to Britain as a result of death threats, Macaulay has attempted to gain funds from the West to establish hairdressing and fashion courses. Since churches usually provide social services to the Nigerian public, gay men and women are often prevented from gaining an adequate education.

One of the most prominent issues in Nigeria currently was exposed in this article-- social cleavage. The sharp divide between straight and gay individuals is a blatant display of social injustice, with citizens denied basic liberties because of rampant homophobia. The fact that homosexuals are prevented from garnering an education and deprived of the opportunity to receive social services also makes it a common policy issue. When both Muslim and Christian establishments deny an education to someone whose sexual preferences contradict the norm, it not only hurts the advancement of the individual, but the state.

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