Anti-gay law: Lawyers urge FG not to succumb to foreign pressure

Anti-gay law: Lawyers urge FG not to
succumb to foreign pressure
on january 16, 2014 at 2:41 pm
Some prominent lawyers in Lagos on Thursday
urged the Federal Government not to succumb to
foreign pressure to decriminalise same-sex
relationships in the country.
The lawyers, in separate interviews with News
Agency of Nigeria (NAN), lauded President Goodluck
Jonathan for signing the bill into law.
NAN reports that the law prescribes penalties of up
to 14 years in prison and bans gay marriage, same-
sex “amorous relationships” and membership of
gay rights groups.
Mr Onyekachi Ubani, Chairman, Nigerian Bar
Association (NBA), Ikeja branch, said that majority
of Nigerians were very happy with the law.
Ubani said: “Nigerians have the right to determine
what we want in our country because we are a
sovereign nation.
“Our culture supports sexual purity and natural
means of conception.
“If you carry out a plebiscite today, you will see
that majority of Nigerians are very happy with the
law.”
Also speaking, Mr Mussodiq Sanni, the Chairman,
Muslim Lawyers’ Association of Nigeria (MULAN),
Lagos State chapter, told NAN that it was a
welcome development.
“We commend the president for what he has done
and we all support it.
“The international community cannot sanction
Nigeria because they need our resources. So it is
just a mere threat,” Sanni said.
Another lawyer, Mr Wale Ogunade, said it was
hypocritical that the same international community
which could not sanction some countries with gross
human rights abuses was threatening Nigeria.
Ogunade said: “What sanctions have they imposed
on the likes of Saudi Arabia, Russia and China with
all the abuses being recorded there?
“They can only threaten Nigeria because our
leaders have not been able to utilise our abundant
resources for the benefit of the country.”
According to him, God in his infinite wisdom created
man and woman for the purpose of procreation.
“So, anyone that is against that is anti-God and to
that extent, the practise of homosexuality should be
condemned by all,” he added.
On his part, Mr Victor Okpara, a Lawyer, said he
would have been surprised if the president did not
assent to the bill which was passed by the National
Assembly in May 2013.
“If the president had failed to sign the bill, it would
have meant that he was supporting gay marriage,
which is religiously criminal and socially
unacceptable in Nigeria.
“As far as I am concerned, the president has
actually signed a law that is consented to by
majority of Nigerians,” Okpara said. (NAN)