One after the other, Nigerians who indulged in homosexuality with impunity narrate how they eventually opted for this illicit romantic escapade CHARLES ADINGUPU writes that as the government tries to clip their wings, they hid under veil of fundamental human right.
James Onuoha (real names withheld) a banker, is a product of both Western  influences and the traditional cultures of Nigeria. Academically, he’s a Western, having acquired his first and second degrees in financial management in an American university at his prime. But emotionally, he is swayed by age old superstition and the traditions of his people.
When the time comes for him to get married, James bowed to family pressures, and chooses a girl from among his own Ibos, leaving his mistress of many years behind in Lagos. But the lucky bride, Obiagali, whom he finally chooses, is tied to the apron string of the primitive curse of the village gods. Undeterred by this chilling discovery, James, together with his wife to be, agreed to go through a curious and sinister ritual to secure her release so that they can marry. Ironically, at the climax of the purification exercise to extricate Obiagali from the grip of the village gods, she died in a mysterious circumstance.
Disappointed at the tragic death of his heart-throb, James was thrown into pensive mood. Two days after, he left the village unannounced to resume his work in Lagos. All appeal by his parents and kinsmen to take another girl in the village as replacement for a wife fell on deaf ear, rather, James opted to remain a bachelor. He ignores emissaries sent by his parents to rescind his decision to remain single despite the  enormous wealth at his disposal.
Events happen so quickly in James’ new life. Just one day, he chances upon an old friend. After exchange of pleasantries, which revealed their new status, the friend invited James to a club party – gay club which he obliged.
That party changed James’ life as he gave in to overtures made at him by men lovers. Right from then on, James has a man  lover, perhaps as an escape route to bury his ugly past.
Bad news, they say, spreads faster than disease. James has defined a life style for himself. He’s a gay – married to a fellow man. A kinsman who visited the village from Laos broke the news to James’ father.
“Have you heard?” he questions  James’ father rhetorically.
“What is it, my son?”
“Your son, James is now married to a man in Lagos. He leaves with him in his house. Though, he tells people and neighbours that the young man is  a friend. But he was kind enough to disclose the truth to me,” he said.
“Abomination!” the old man exclaimed in disbelief.

“So the story is true. For sometime now, my son, James has become a song for drunkards and a subject of whispering gossips at both the village square and beer parlour. See what city life has done to my son,” he lamented.
But James is just one of  most Nigerians who indulged in this abysmal practice of homosexuality with impunity.
The story of Chinwe, a Nigerian lesbian based in Britain who flew into Nigeria to advocate the legalisation of homosexuality is still fresh in our minds. At the public hearing in Benin, Edo State, the self confessed Lesbian (Chinwe) wept profusely before the gathering why homosexuality should be enshrined in Nigeria’s constitution as a way of life and an infringement of their (homosexuals) fundamental human rights if their agitation is treated with levity.
Nigerians marvelled at the impudence and shamelessness of her face saving remarks. They variably winced under the biting sarcasm her comments elicited. But the last sentence, they found very exasperating as villianeous  tongues of women in the vicinity lashed out with a sting that was too painful for her to bear.
Chinwe who was sandwiched by armed police officers, was taunted and teased but stood her ground.
Also, a male popular Nigerian musician was reportedly caught in the act with a renowned male entertainer. Though, the musician refuted the story, threatened to sue the newspaper for defamation of character, however, buried his head in shame when photographs, showing his clandestine affair  were published days after the story was reported. That singular publication, however, sealed the lips of the  musician and hairy entertainer lover.
John Amaechi, a basketball player in the NBA made a revelation of the plight of gay athletes in major league sports. In his book, titled, Man in the middle, Amaechi exposes the institutionalised homophobia inherent in the hyper-masculine world by American professional athletes.
Though, his exposure was greeted with avalanche of criticisms, but Ameachi was undeterred as he went ahead to openly discussed LGBT issues as well as encouraging other gay athletes to pursue their dreams irrespective of their shameful life-style.
These days, Nigerians who indulged in the illicit practice no longer operate under cover. They make bold to demonstrate their gayness by trying to initiate unsuspecting Nigerians into their fold.
Reverend Rowland Olajide Macaulay is a Nigerian Apostle of gay. His nefarious activities and a gay church was exclusively reported by Saturday Vanguard barely a month ago.
His church called House of Rainbow, was located at No. 36/36 Yakoyo Street, Ojodu Berger, Lagos and has become an abode for established gays and initiates.
According to the gay man of God, “my church is a voice of the younger generation of citizens, activists and diaspora, and our collective belief in a more progressive Nigeria. They are afraid of our growing influence as we gather allies not just from the West, a people that are not afraid but powerful and resilient.”
“Religion,” he observed, is a backbone to life in Nigeria, so, we all want to go to church. But we don’t want to lie to God about who we are.”
Macaulay who established his House of Rainbow in 2006 where he openly held Sunday services in an hotel hall in Lagos, decorated in rainbow colors however abandoned the church after a public backslash which culminated in manhandling of his members. He fled to the UK after he received death threats from unknown persons.
But Saturday Vanguard’s investigation shows that the man is back on the trenches. This year, he has recruited a small team which includes among others his local leaders  in Lagos.
But for Mrs Josephine Adebayo being a lesbian was a choice she made following the neglect of her husband’s nonchalant  attitude towards her.
Narrating her ordeal to Saturday Vanguard at her Victoria Island  residence, Mrs Adebayo said lesbianism has offered her the romance the husband denies her.
“You may not belief it except you try it, lesbianism is more intriguing than most people thought. Though, I was hesitant to accept it when one of my good friends initially talked me into it. But today, I’ve every course to be grateful to her. Besides, my lover woman is so good at it,” she confesses.
A 21 year-old man, Adisa was almost lynched recently at Amukoko, a suburb in Lagos for sodomising teenagers for rituals. According to residents in the area, Adisa who was reverend as a man of God was caught in the act  with one of the teenage boys in the area but he escaped through his back door. Also, a Nigerian gay was reported in one of the social medias as being married to a German lawyer and later divorced him.
Okechukwu, another Nigerian gay is currently operating a gay entertainment company in Abia State. Okechukwu however, disclosed that the main preoccupation of his company is to provide gay dancers and entertainment services for private parties and business functions.
But Anthonia Okorodudu (not real names) said she was introduced into lesbianism in a girls’ `, secondary school in Ughelli, Delta State.
According to her, the senior students usually had them as bunk-mates only to start fumbling with them when night falls. “At a time, the exercise was disgusting. First, I can’t imagine a fellow woman kissing and dipping her finger into my virgina as well as fumbling with my breast,” she said.
Today, Anthonia who later graduated in lesbianism has become mistress in the game.
“I’ve introduced many other notable women who suffer marital problems into the game. I must confess that they are enjoying it. Though, it’s a personal life style, hence the identities of such persons cannot be easily disclosed,” she said.
But Ethel who also attended an only girls secondary school in Enugu attested to this fact.
According to Ethel, “sometimes, your lover can ditch and abandons you in the cold. Under such circumstance, we insert candle into our virgina to get the desired erotic satisfaction. “You know, the edge of a candle stick looks more like a male’s organ. But there is a way of going about this,” Ethel reveals.
Similarly, Andrew Adewusi who attended an only Boys Secondary School in the North, said boys indulged in all manners of acts to derive erotic maximum satisfaction.
Till date, most of those boys who were caught in the act of gay in school refused to dump the illicit act. They are already neck deep in it,” he said.
Common features of
homosexuals
Though they are  not easy to be identified but they possess peculiar traits which set them apart from ordinary persons.
Just like gigoloes, men who indulge in the act are generally fashionable and possess the carriage of a woman.
They are usually meticulous of their looks. Some of them wear ear-rings, fanciful plaited wrist watch and some finger rings.
Also, some of them use make-up as eye pencil and even apply lip-sticks.
They use feminine voice (emotional) whenever they are making overtures.
What thrills them in the fellow men, is guys with robust back side.
For Lesbians
Some of them prefer to look like a Tom-Boy. They dress like men but at the same time, stay away from men. Often times, they go in pairs and belong to one social club or the other.
They are usually society women who are into big time business. Musicians and politicians fall prey to such advances.
Culled: Vanguard