ON SAME SEX RELATIONS

The British Prime Minister is reported to have threatened African countries particularly Nigeria and Ghana who oppose same sex relations, including marriage, with withdrawal of British aid. The Prime Minister was said to have made a passionate case for liberalization of legislation and attitudes among Africans towards homosexuals and lesbians, so that their rights and privileges will be consistent with global standards. The British leader insisted that the continued denial of the full rights of homosexuals and lesbians to relate openly and even marry, through legislation or refusal to legislate same into effect, amounts to a denial of their fundamental human rights. African countries, which had shown very strong resistance against the current, western-inspired movement to legislate same-sex relations, including marriage, and which are the targets of the Prime Minister’s threat, reacted to it with contempt.  

The threat by the Prime Minister of Britain to sanction African countries which refuse to liberalise laws and attitudes towards homosexuals and lesbians coincided with the period during which the National Assembly held a public hearing into same-sex relations. The hearing was a revealing affair in itself. Much of the Nigerian public opinion around the live transmission of the event registered curiosity and shock that some Nigerians will come out in public to own up to being homosexuals and lesbians, and even demand the right to marry people of their own sex. Religious and opinion leaders predictably condemned the National Assembly for even holding the public hearing. Majority of people simply noted that the Nigerian legislature is responding to international pressure to acknowledge that same-sex relations exist in Africa, the same way they exist in all human communities. But the overwhelming majority of Nigerians do not expect that legislation will be passed to legalise same-sex marriages, particularly in a nation where even homosexual acts are illegal.

In view of the solid opposition among Africans against same-sex relations, it is reasonable to ask what motive the Prime Minister of Britain had in demanding that Africans treat homosexuality the same way the British people do, or risk sanctions. One possible motive may be that the Prime Minister is playing to the British gallery. In a country where homosexuals and lesbians have considerable political clout, the British Prime Minister may be trying to court domestic political support by appearing to push the boundries of support for them. Or Mr Cameron may be attempting to divert attention from his huge domestic problems, which include a stagnating economy, massive social problems and a political system which merely replaces leaders without giving the British people any additional value. Yet a third, and a more plausible reason may have to do with an antiquated idea that Britain can tell Africans how to live their lives. The idea of aid-for-compliance which governs much of the relationship between the western world and Africans has suffered some setbacks, but is not altogether finished as a foreign policy strategy. Perhaps the recent success of Britain and its allies in NATO in the ouster and killing of Muammar Ghadafi has gone to Mr Cameron’s head. Or perhaps he believes that British aid is so central to the economic well-being of Africans that its withdrawal will cause major problems for leaders who do not legislate same-sex marriages.

In any case, many African leaders have advised the Prime Minister on what to do with his aid. Beyond this, the heavy handed and crude intrusion of the British government into a matter which is extremely sensitive in Africa will most likely do more harm than good. There have always been homosexuals and lesbians in Africa in spite of attempts to deny it by religious groups and politicians. It is reasonable to assume that the dominant anti-homosexual culture has kept them pretty much in their closets. The intensification of western pressure on all nations and cultures to liberalize attitudes and laws, however, will not help. Africans are likely to re-inforce their negative attitudes towards homosexuality and lesbianism by linking it with western cultural imperialism.

It may be a reflection of the distance which exists between the western world and Africa that a British Prime Minister will issue threats to Africans to legalise same-sex marriages or lose British aid. It may also be a reflection of the contempt for Africa’s position in the world today, that a nation which itself harbours deep-seated traditional and religious antipathy towards homosexuality will insist that Africans commit cultural suicide overnight to please it. The bottom line is that both Africa and Britain have populations which have strong anti-homosexual views. Britain itself has not resolved its own internal divisions over the issue. It is therefore in no position to advise or compel others to take measures over sensitive issues of this nature. The good thing is that Africans understand that Britain is merely throwing its weight around over an issue which it is unable to handle itself. It is not doing any favour to African homosexuals.