ELECTION YEAR IS COMING UP, AND NIGERIAN POLITICIANS HAVE REMEMBERED HOMOSEXUALITY EXISTS (AGAIN)
Originally published on Ynaija.com
Like death and taxes, you can always depend on Nigerian politicians to skirt important issues and focus on misplaced priorities. Masters of diversion and petty politics, Nigerian politicians seem to amp up their politicking once elections start to draw close, or the voting public’s confidence in them begins to wane. They’ve done this, no matter which party is in power since 1999, and some of us are still not hip to it. But perhaps, this will be the time that we learn.
It used to be that the simplest diversionary tactic for politicians looking to curry favor was stirring tribal differences, but since the advent of Boko Haram, the El-Zakzaky shi’ite movement and Biafra going from barely-remembered fever dream to a very present threat to Nigeria staying the country it is right now, politicians have become very wary to taking that route. Instead they’ve turned their focus on to sexual minorities. In 2014, Goodluck Jonathan basically hinged his public perception on taking a ‘hard stance’ on homosexuality and passing a bill banning homosexual unions which was basically a gross human rights violation.
And now, according to this Punch Nigeria article, The Director of the National Orientation Agency, Dr. Garba Abari, at an event that had nothing to do with sexuality, ‘lamented’ the current ’embrace’ of homosexuality by young Nigerians. Here’s a choice quote from the article:
He said, “It is pertinent to note that the advent of satellite broadcasting has continued to pose a serious challenge to our traditional culture and religious values and our identity as a people. Our youths are now being deceived by the international media with values that are at variance with our culture and the teachings of our religion.
“The wearing of tattoos, dreadlocks hairstyle, sagging trousers and the painting of hair have become a vogue among our young men and women.’
Now if Dr. Abari wasn’t actually serious, this would have been laughable. You would think that a doctor and the director of the National Orientation Agency, an agency that deals with media, would know that dreadlock and saggy pants are not a sign of moral delinquency or homosexuality. These are the people who are supposed to create policies that will better the lives of the generations after them, and he can publicly speak on how ‘baggy pants’ and ‘homosexuality’ brought by satellite television are a corruption of their values.
Laughable.
Elections are in less than two years, so this rhetoric will only intensify in the coming months. We write this so at no point are you suckered in and you know this exactly for what it is, the start of yet another election cycle.
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14 Comments
Michael
June 10, 08:04Who is he again?
WhoIsUgo
June 10, 08:38DIRECTOR of the NATIONAL Orientation Agency
Pink Panther
June 10, 08:39LOL. Why did you have to highlight ‘director’ and ‘national’?
WhoIsUgo
June 10, 14:35Lmao. Because it’s not seyi from okokomaiko, na the oga pata pata
himbo
June 10, 08:38And what is the plan to fight back against this rhetoric?
ambivalentone
June 10, 08:39I still need to know if ppl with tattoos were indeed harrassed in Rivers and why. BTW, I thot Jonathan claimed Nigeria is pristine, devoid of all things bestial and homosexual? How homo matter take enter tori?
Pink Panther
June 10, 08:41Didn’t you know? The spirit of homosexuality is a sly demon. He decided to come and invade Nigeria in the form of dreadlocks and saggy pants.
Meanwhile in the US, it’s invading them in the guise of fatty foods.
This homo spirit sha, very industrious in his work of invading this world. Who knows the guise it’s using to ravage Russia?
Delle
June 10, 17:58Hahahahaha. PP your own dey your body!
God,my tummy hurts!
Fshaw
June 10, 08:42Not just dread locks, saggy pants and tattoos. I think he should add beards to that list. Stupid Moron!
Delle
June 10, 09:03When I first saw that statement made by Dr Abari, I didn’t give it much thought but this post brings to fore a very important issue, quite true also.
But then again, are we not bothered about the brains of those leading us? Every not-so-once-in-a-while, one politician vomits an incredulous rubbish and we laugh it off.
How can someone with a supposed PhD say dreadlocks and sagging pants are criteria for homosexuality? The day we sieve out these brain-dead mongrels at the hem of affairs in this country is the day we move forward.
I’m just tired. Nigeria is fast becoming a den of stupidity and circus shows.
This coming elections, I won’t be sitting at home and acting like I don’t care, I am so voting just to be sure i lent my voice. What about you?
ambivalentone
June 10, 09:12My dear, the things you hear from academics and graduate students will make u hold ur head and weep. No surprises tho, when in the common room, they’d clamor for African Magic as against stuff that actually build u mentally
Quinn
June 10, 10:06Elzazaky…Shit, Sheet or shyte, how’s that pronounced? this grand pa should go sit down somewhere.
Cleopatro
June 10, 12:50national orientation agency is a thing?
Miss_terious
June 11, 08:46But some people are otondo ohhh. For god’s sake dreadlocks is African nor western. I personally feel offended and I bet so will Bob Marley in his grave,RIP rasta Papa.
More so whenever there is an ethnic /religious crisis look carefully for its a diversion from a big magic happening in our revenue. Since the more we look the less we see. Abacadabra ? ? ?
Up Nigeria