Nigerian government has been buffeted with a storm of protests especially from the West, backed by America, which sees the anti-gay law as retrogressive. To this end, the European Union and America have threatened to impose stiff sanctions on the government such as cutting financial aid to the country. But the Nigerian government is unperturbed despite what could be termed as the West pretentiousness. Correspondent, Harris-Okon Emmanuel, sought the views of Senator Domingo Obende representing Edo North in the National Assembly, who sponsored the bill, which gave birth to the law, which has given Westerners and some Nigerians sleepless nights in this online chat.Excerpt:
Senator Domingo Obende
Your anti-gay bill, which has become law in Nigeria, is generating global ripples. The whole world, through the United Nations and the European Union, backed by America, seemed to have ganged up against Nigeria, and other African countries that have come up with an anti-gay legislation. Are you worried about their posturing as the one is behind the law in Nigeria?
For us as a country, we are a sovereign nation and I do not think we must obtain permission from the West to preserve our culture, tradition and most of all, religion because for me, the African uniqueness sits on this tripod and this is what makes us valuable. So if the West wants to take this priceless moral from us, we must resist it at all cost. As the sponsor of this very important bill, which has now become a law in Nigeria, I do not see it as a welcome idea that the UN, EU and USA should team up together and want to sanction us because we refused the importation of their morals instead of technology.
America is the driver of this gang-up whereas more than 20 states in America have refused to embrace same-sex union, so what have they done to those states before jumping into Africa?
I am of the strong view that this gang-up will not work.
Don’t you think the talk of sanctions against us may affect your person, being an international businessman because part of their ploy is that there will be targeted sanctions such as travel and visa denials against key individuals responsible for drafting and adopting this law?
Should they choose to personalise official functions by lawmakers, then they will have a lot of job to do because for me, I will not stop to sponsor bills that will regulate us until integrity and moral uprightness is achieved. What is more, if my constituents and my country are happy with us, I shall continue and would not give a damn about any country visa refusal.
Do you have any fear over your personal safety and that of your family members over this development because these imperialists are known to have wreaked havoc on persons world over to have their way?
Safety is of God and I am never scared when I am standing on what I believe in. More so, if God is happy with me over my activities at the National Assembly, he will surely provide us as a family the needed security to pass through the valley of the shadow of death.
I am confident that I will be safe.
In what way do you think these sanctions, when imposed, will affect us as a nation?
You see, let us call a spade a spade; if we shun corruption and do the right by way of managing our God-given resources all over the land, we shall not be dependent on the West for help in any form. For me, this is a wake-up call for the leadership of Nigeria to start to apply our resources to the right and meaningful areas of the economy to stop us depending on another country for help and if we refuse to do just that, then we might be affected which will be very sad to the common African who because of preservation of morals will have to be punished.
They insist that the anti-gay law infringes on human rights as they have said it amounts to “grave menace to human rights” and that it stands against human rights as enshrined in the International Convention of Civil and Political Rights; that it contravenes Africa’s Charter and the Nigerian Constitution. Do you align with these claims?
I obviously can not align myself with these claims because it is also common knowledge that where my rights stop is where another person’s right begins; in other words, no one can really lay absolute claim to a right because, come to think of it, in Nigeria, when you see a man kissing a man or a woman kissing a woman, is that not a menace and public misbehaviour here in Africa? Our Constitution has not been violated in any form.
Did you participate in the talks they claimed they had with Nigeria over this? When?
I don’t know where and when they had the talks but be informed that this is no longer a bill but a law and if they are meeting anybody, it might be from the Presidency or the judiciary and, maybe with the leadership of the National Assembly.
Are there any consequences this law portends for the country?
I am not aware of any consequences this law portends for Nigeria because we are free to make our laws for proper governance.
What is the interest of the West in seeing Nigeria or Africa where gay marriage is legalised?
I honestly don’t know their interest in seeing our country toeing the line of immorality all in the name of human rights.
Why must we legalise gay? What is actually their interest? Only UN, EU and America know but we shall not allow them to have their way.
Are there no areas of development the West should have sleepless nights over other than this gay marriage thing? Must they impose their culture on us?
The West is not having sleepless nights because of corruption as the stolen money finds its way to the West. Shouldn’t power be a concern to them given the fact that they pride Nigeria the giant of Africa? No! Because their companies are busy supplying us with generators, diesel etc. Should they not be concerned over the abandoned Ajaokuta Steel project? No, not at all. What about the oil and gas sector? No, rather they are busy selling their assets and looking elsewhere. They are not bothered about the insecurity in Nigeria? I don’t think so because by now the UN, EU and America should have come out in full force to assist us in confronting our challenges rather than allowing this lamentation
This is beyond you now that it has become law. But do you think Nigeria would want to backpedal over this following the threat of sanctions?
That will obviously not happen because I do not see us reversing ourselves.
I am of the view that what has happened is good for the future of our youths, our communities and our country and I urge the UN, EU and America to learn to tolerate others who are working hard to make their country better.
Do you have any regrets over the hullabaloo that has greeted this law that seems to be pitching the West against Africa?
Of course, no regrets at all. First thing here is that we are a sovereign nation and for that reason alone, we make laws considering our culture, religion and tradition and since we have not offended the sensitivity of any of the three I do not think we have any apology to any countries that have made themselves our police.
I am honestly happy that the President did not delay the signing of the bill, which is now a law and we expect this kind of action over very many other issues bothering us as a nation if the transformation of our great nation will be achievable.
I have said it before and I will not stop saying it that Africa does not require transfer of Western morals but technology that will create value in our nations.
In Nigeria, gay culture does not and will never have value and I do not think they should continue to push it. We should be left alone with our laws and ways of life.
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