.Buhari should ignore Biden’s threat of sanctions—Nigerians
.CSOs condemn US plan to sanction countries that discourage gay marriage
Following the recent threat of sanctions on countries with anti-gay laws like Nigeria by the new president of the United States of America, Joe Biden, reactions have trailed as to whether the federal government should give in to America’s bid.
The sanctions may include financial and visa punishments for countries that have refused to make laws to accommodate Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer and Intersex (LGBTQI) people.
While fielding questions from Daily Champion correspondent, the Director of Media, Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria in Osun State, Bishop Seun Adeoye maintained that embracing homosexuality is ungodly, noting that Christians would pray out Biden if he does not desist from threatening Nigerians.
Adeoye urged the federal government not to allow Biden have his way in the country saying, “there is no gift that the devil would give to us that can be compared to what God is saying.”
“I call on our lawmakers to resist this, it is not only Christianity that is against this, even Islam is also against it and we must stand by that. PFN and CAN will not agree to this. We kick against it and will pray against it.”
“This is unfortunate. It is one of the reasons why some Christians preferred Donald Trump to Biden when the US election was going on because there are some of Trump’s policies that favoured Christianity like laws on homosexuality and abortion.”
The cleric further explained: “The implication of giving in to Biden’s submission is deadly. In the time of Sodom and Gomorrah in the Book of Genesis chapter 18 and 19, God destroyed the cities so there is no country that would do that and not face God’s judgment either now or in future.
“Biden is only coming to harass Nigeria and other African countries. If they want to do that in America, that’s their business, we don’t force our idolatry on them so they shouldn’t come now and force that policy on anybody. We will pray him out, I know Christians will pray him out because we cannot afford to go back to the world of Sodom and Gomorrah and be destroyed, we don’t want to be destroyed. There is no place the power of God cannot reach. We will call on our God, so he should stop the threat.”
Also speaking, the Chairman of Nigerian Bar Association, Osogbo Branch Abdul- Rahman Okunade said that Nigeria is a sovereign nation and not a colony at the moment which means Americans cannot dictate to Nigeria as to how she’s to run her affairs.
Okunade stressed that entering into bilateral relationship with any country is voluntary and not a matter of compulsion, “if we are not comfortable with the terms of the relationship as a nation we can pull out.”
In his words, “Nigeria is an independent country, sovereign nation, we elect our president and rulers, members of the cabinet. We have our own court and security agencies so there’s no country in the world that can dictate to our country on how to run the affairs of the Government.
“That does not mean that there are no ways by which we can be sanctioned. But sanctioning will be too heavy a word to be used because we are not subject to the rules of the American government. We can be dealt with in terms of our benefits.
“We have some Nigerians in America who inter trade, some reports have it that what some Nigerians make abroad supercedes what some states make and this could be a way to deal with us as it will have an adverse effect on our economy. We also have some organisations that depend largely on foreign aid. If anything affects that, it would have an adverse effect on our economy. These are ways through which America can deal with Nigerians not by selecting policies for us.”
He however advised the lawmakers to consider the interest of the people. “If it is in the best interest for Nigeria to practice homosexuality, so be it. But it is not in accord with my own religion and sense of enlightenment but that does not mean others does not have the right to do what they like. In my own personal opinion, i will say they should not allow such.”
A member of the Peoples Democratic Party, Sam Segun-Progress charged the Buhar-led government to face the situation squarely the way Jonathan did.
According to him, “The laws of our land do not support it. And as Buhari seem to be a religion enthusiast, his religion is against it too. Let our President and Minister for foreign affairs say it loud and clear that Nigeria does not support same sex marriage. If they want to remain our friend, fine and if they don’t want to be, fine. We enjoyed better under Trump’s regime than that of Obama. Trump has been more fair in terms of aids to us than Obama.
“We stand with the Nigerian law that resists homosexuality. We pray Buhari will not play politics with this but stand firm like the former President. He stated that the All Progressives Congress in Nigeria has a great pact with the Democrats of the United States saying, “Biden is another Buhari for the United States.
“Obama was against Goodluck Jonathan because of the anti-gay law. Now, they are on Buhari, I am not surprised. Biden is going to live to explain, he is going to keep explaining because I don’t know how the anti-gay law in Nigeria affects the American economy.
“For me as a PDP member, I’m glad that Jonathan stood with God. It’s not about hypocrisy, most of the people in PDP don’t support homosexuality but the APC possibly might have members who are involved too a large extent. Like David Mark said then– to hell with Cameroon, I also say to hell with Biden with that threat. Nigeria is a sovereign nation, we don’t want homosexuality,” he concluded.
A wake up call to African countries, says cleric
The recent threat by US President Joe Biden to impose financial and Visa sanctions on nations with Anti-Gay Laws has been described as a swift move to force countries to liberalized gay and lesbianism.
Speaking with Daily Champion, a Rev Minister with the Fellowship Outreach Bible Church, Gbagada, Lagos, Juachi Allwell who was not pleased with the threat maintained that Nigeria can never be coerced.
This is even as he maintained that there is need for African leaders to form a formidable force, adding that they should not allow themselves to be coarse.
According to him, under former President Goodluck Jonathan, they tried it and never succeed, saying that there is no way they can succeed now.
He said President Mohammadu Buhari is even a hardliner when it comes to that area, adding that there is no way they can coerce Nigeria into doing that.
“Joe Biden is a democrat and democrats are liberal, I don’t like Gay and Lesbians. I am not surprised by the statement, because that is what their party stands for.
“Donald Triumph opposed it because his party (Republican Party) is not in support of those things and his ability to do take decisions against such were because of his vice who was a believer. I won’t say I am surprised because being a democrat, that is what they have been clamoring, that is the way they live their lives,” he said.
Another Minister with the Assemblies of God Church Nigeria, Rev. Freedom John said that it is not a good development, saying that there is need for Christians to rise up and pray.
Speaking further, he noted that although every human being should be treated equally, he maintained that Gay and Lesbianism is against the gospel of Jesus Christ and nation’s should not fall for it.
US president, Joe Biden had threatened to sanction countries that are yet to make laws to accommodate Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer and Intersex (LGBTQI) people.
The Democrat issued a presidential memorandum aimed at expanding the protection of the rights of LGBTQI people worldwide.
Biden’s memo reads, “When foreign governments move to restrict the rights of LGBTQI+ persons or fail to enforce legal protections in place, thereby contributing to a climate of intolerance, agencies engaged abroad shall consider appropriate responses, including using the full range of diplomatic and assistance tools and, as appropriate, financial sanctions, visa restrictions, and other actions.
“All human beings should be treated with respect and dignity and should be able to live without fear no matter who they are or whom they love.
“The United States belongs at the forefront of this struggle – speaking out and standing strong for our most dearly held values.”
The memo directs US agencies working in foreign countries to work harder to combat the criminalisation by foreign governments of LGBTQ status or conduct and directs the State Department to include anti-LGBTQ violence, discrimination, and laws in its annual human rights report.
It also calls for increased efforts to ensure that LGBTQ asylum seekers have equal access to protection, expanded training for US federal personnel, and potential increased use of priority referrals to expedite resettlement of vulnerable people.
It also instructs agencies to consider appropriate responses, including the full range of diplomatic tools, and potentially financial sanctions and visa restrictions, when foreign governments restrict the rights of LGBTQ people.
Biden first announced the push during a recent speech at the State Department, vowing to rebuild US credibility worldwide.
“To further repair our moral leadership, I’m also issuing a presidential memo to agencies to reinvigorate our leadership on the LGBTQI issues and do it internationally,” he said.
The anti-gay laws in Nigeria, a leading ant-LGBTQI country in Africa, prescribes between 10 and 14 years in prison for anyone caught flouting the law either by cohabitation between same-sex sexual partners, public show of same-sex relationship, registration, operation or participation in gay clubs, societies and organisation, amongst others.
In January 2014, ex- Nigerian President, Goodluck Jonathan signed the Same-Sex-Marriage (Prohibition) Act despite pressure from former US President, Barrack Obama.
The anti-gay laws in Nigeria, a leading ant-LGBTQI country in Africa, prescribes between 10 and 14 years in prison for anyone caught flouting the law either by cohabitation between same-sex sexual partners, public show of same-sex relationship, registration, operation or participation in gay clubs, societies and organisation, amongst others.
CSOs condemn US plan to sanction countries that discourage gay marriage
Two Civil Society Organizations, CSOs, Civil Liberties Organization, and International Society for Civil Liberties and the Rule of Law, Intersociety, have condemned the alleged threat by United States President, Joe Biden, to sanction countries with anti-gay laws.
According to the Anambra state chairman of CLO, Comrade Vincent Ezekwueme, “it is better for us to be sanctioned by God than human. Nigerian government must be commended for rejecting gay marriage, it is against God, an abomination”
On the support of herders in bearing AK47 rifles, he reiterated that, “they should not be allowed to carry sophisticated weapons of mass destruction”
In his reaction the Intersociety chairman, Nze Emeka Umeagbalasi stated that, “the Northern Moslems have one agenda and that is to achieve Islamization of Nigeria. That is why whenever there is any attack against the Fulani herders that they use to achieve this they will rise up in defence of the herders”
On the US plan to sanction countries that discourage same sex marriage he said that, it is ungodly to practise gay marriage.
“Anything that goes contrary to natural law is contrary to God. We are naturally against that gay marriage, it is condemnable , about six states in US practise it and still it has not become national law in US so why must Joe Biden impose it on countries outside US” he queried.
culled from Champion
