Nigeria: Wale does not exist, officially

Nigeria is Islamic in the north. In those 12 states the maximum penalty for male same-sex activity is death by stoning for Muslims and 14 years in jail for non-Muslims.

In the remainder of the country, Nigeria is Anglican. The maximum penalty for male same-sex activity is 14 years in jail.

In Dec 2006, the New York Times reported the following, on Archbishop Peter J. Akinola, the head of the church in Nigeria and leader of other organizations representing Anglican provinces in Africa and the developing world.

“Archbishop Akinola’s views on homosexuality — that it is an abomination akin to bestiality and pedophilia — are fairly mainstream here. Nigeria is a deeply religious country, evenly divided between Christians and Muslims, and attitudes toward homosexuality, women’s rights and marriage are dictated largely by scripture and enforced by deep social taboos.”

In July 2008, Davis Mac-Iyalla, a leader of the gay Christian movement in Nigeria, was granted asylum in the UK.

Mr Mac-Iyalla, 36, is the leader of Changing Attitude Nigeria, a group that works for equality for lesbians, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) members of the Anglican Communion.

"If the Anglican Church of Nigeria and the Nigerian government had a more open-minded and understanding attitude, then people like me would not need asylum in the first place" he said.

In Feb 2009, the Nigerian Minister of Foreign Affairs told a UN review of human rights in the African nation that there was no gay, lesbian, bisexual and trans community in his country.

Ojo Madueke was addressing the United Nations Universal Periodic Review (UNUPR) on Human Rights in Geneva.

"As we have indicated in our National Report, we have no record of any group of Nigerians who have come together under the umbrella of Lesbian, Gay and Transgender group; let alone to start talking of their rights," Mr Madueke said in his UNUPR address on February 9th.

Despite these conditions, stories that showcase Nigeria turn up from time to time.

The BBC reported the following in Feb 2005.

“A Nigerian Islamic court has sentenced a man to six months in prison and fined him $38 for living as a woman for seven years in the northern city of Kano. The judge told 19-year-old Abubakar Hamza, who used his female identity (Fatima Kawaji) to sell aphrodisiacs, to desist from "immoral behaviour. … Since his arrest, he has become a celebrity in the strict Muslim city. Posters of him dressed in women's clothing have been selling well."

Fatima Kawaji - full story and poster photo here.

The following is an extract from a report by Jimmy Leon, coordinator for African-rapport and educator for Amnesty International, published in Apr 2005.

Despite all these atrocities the Nigerian LGBTI community face, there can not be a better embodiment of the spirit of resilience, courage, pride and commitment one man possesses. This enormous courage, wit and talent are personal traits Wale is gifted with. He was crowned Miss Gay Nigeria in a glittering function in December 2004.

African-rapport interviewed this 18 year old student and model in a place where gay people are not valued and appreciated, a fact that he emphasized at length. Wale mentioned that at the moment there is a lack of cohesive gay and lesbian dialogue and unity. The only recourse are avenues of intimacy and underground social gatherings.

Wale explained that although the annual Miss Lagos was organized by a gay man, most people were frightened to enter the pageant. This particular event took place at a hotel somewhere in Nigeria with 15 contestants and a cheering crowd of about 300 people. Wale explained further that people “might get shocked and say to themselves how can this happen in an so unfriendly gay society, yea, in fact the gay beauty pageant does take place in all the Nigerian states and afterwards they all come together to the final contest, most beautiful gay in Nigeria – Miss Gay Nigeria”.

Wale - full story and photo here.