“If A Person Wants To Be Gay, Let Them Gay In Peace.” Alex Ekubo Urges Nigerians To Be More Tolerant
Alex Ekubo signed into the New Year yesterday with a message for Nigerians. In a powerful update posted on his instagram account, the actor urged Nigerians to be more tolerant and accepting of people’s choices. He started by admonishing those who like to malign the prosperity of others, asking for Nigerians to “learn to be happy for one another”, and that “hating another man’s candle won’t light yours.” He called out the nasty habit of mud-slinging those who make a show of their good fortune, attacking what he insinuates is the hypocrisy of those haters.
He also called for the tolerance of gay people, exhorting Nigerians to “learn to live and let live” and “allow people to be free and comfortable with their sexual preference”.
He touched on a variety of other acts of intolerance amongst Nigerians, like the shaming of women who have work done on their bodies, the castigation of tithe payment in churches, the scandalization of marital issues brought to the notice of the public, and the pressuring of people to do things they are not ready for.
“Please, what I’m trying to say is, let’s be more tolerant of each other,” Ekubo wrote in conclusion, “let’s respect our individual choices & decisions, let’s pull each other up, let’s forgive more, let’s spread love & kill hate…”
Early last year, Uti Nwachukwu also expressed his hopes for Nigeria in a series of tweets, where he called out the hypocrisy of Nigerians and prayed for a more tolerant nation.
Check out Alex Ekubo’s post below.
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11 Comments
Xavier Thicc
January 02, 09:08Good message,Alex…
I feel you could have just stop @ ” If a person wants to be gay,let them be gay in peace*……
The next clause that followed was not necessary…
It’s more like you want to make a basic argument with that..
Writing that you can never be gay suggests that you are indeed gay especially to those who read your message with their third eyes..Lol.
Mandy
January 02, 09:37Everything he said is on-point. But my problem with this is: who even asked him whether he’s gay? Like, why did he feel the need to let us know that he’s “NOT, have NEVER been, and will NEVER be”. Like nigga, if you’re going to advocate for tolerance and acceptance, start by not acting like you’re ashamed to even be associated in any way with the gay community.
And all these his denials are just futile. Most Nigerians, gay and straight, do not believe he’s straight. So all this his frequent clarifications of his “heterosexuality” simply come off as him being defensive.
Simply use your voice. You have privilege that most gay Nigerians don’t have. When using your voice, don’t make it about you. Focus on the message. Simple. Whether you’re gay or not does not change the fact that there are average gay Nigerians getting victimised for being who they are.
Tristan
January 02, 11:01My thoughts exactly. Such insecurity. Who asked him whether he is gay or not? It makes it seem as if that’s the reason for this post. Why is he always defending himself like we fucking care about his sexual orientation? Nigga, stay in your closet. Your advocacy is not needed.
LMRN
January 02, 22:24While his denial may have left a sour taste in the mouth, I do not think he deserves to be dragged for it. Different people have different levels of understanding of what it means to speak for a marginalized community, and what it means to put oneself in the shoes of people who face the violent brunt of homophobia daily.
He has his reasons for choosing not to identify as gay (even though it was a tad too vehement), and he should be encouraged to feel more comfortable in expressing his opinions without the proviso.
Many members of our community would not be caught dead defending gay rights so openly as he has done, and I see him getting better at it with time.
He needs time and support. And I encourage him to leave his fears behind, and speak his truth.
I do not know whether he is gay or not, but one thing is certain, he is an ally, and by Jove, we need him to speak up more, and without showing fear.
Alexx, you can do it, I have faith in you.
Higwe
January 03, 07:25Don’t make it seem like we are that hopeless, that we’d have to settle for just about anything.
There is a difference between patronising and real advocacy.
All I got from this unintelligent piece – is that being gay is a sort of ailment, that should be tolerated.
The only ally we need is someone that would make the typical Nigerian understand that for starters, being gay is as natural as being straight.
Pink Panther
January 03, 08:40Well said!!! ????
Stretchy
January 23, 20:04This response gave me braingasms. My sentiments exactly. We need advocates not patrons
Mafiaso
January 03, 05:44If someone wants to be gay,let them gay in peace, whoever chooses what can lead to his death ? Mbanu gays are born that way my brother. All the same thanks for speaking up, gradually we will get there .
Higwe
January 03, 07:16He sounds so unintelligent… the piece started out great, then ended up looking like a typical Nigerian’s advocacy.
*always heard this nigga is gay (though I can’t say for certain, since I’ve never slept with him) but that line …I’m not gay blah blah blah has taken my suspicions to conclusions… Nigga you gay! ?
Pink Panther
January 03, 07:27Those who were commending him keep saying he had to say those words to “clarify” and set the record straight (pun intended), and I’m saying to them: The guy didn’t clarify anything. All he did was sound defensive and convince anyone sitting on the fence that he is in fact gay. There was too much emphasis on the denial. “I’m NOT, have NEVER been, and will NEVER be”? Lol. One has to ask who he’s trying to convince, Nigerians or himself.
Buddha
January 04, 08:44He’s trying to convince himself – the “false truth” he’s telling himself so he can sleep at night. But I assure him one thing that three things can’t be hidden – the Sun, the moon and the truth.