Nigerians yesterday reacted angrily to US criticisms of the country over the anti-same sex bill signed into law by President Goodluck Jonathan, Monday, saying that Nigeria will not become the modern day Sodom and Gomorrah in the name of human rights.
The Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, the umbrella association of all Northern socio-political organisations, Arewa Consultative Forum, ACF; Ndigbo Cultural Society of Nigeria, NCSN; Adada Media Forum, ADF; Jama’atu Nasril Islam, JNI; and some individuals including, Senator Rowland Owie condemned the US attack on Nigeria over the same sex marriage law.
A statement signed by the former Senate Chief Whip, Senator Rowland Owie, said that Nigeria does not regret forbidding same sex marriage.
Also, the National Publicity Secretary of ACF, Mr Anthony Sani, said “It is difficult (for Nigerians) to share the sentiments of US and its allies on this matter, considering that it is not long that some of them approved same sex marriage.”
Elder statesman and veteran politician, Alhaji Tanko Yakasai, commended Jonathan for signing the bill into law.
Yakasai said: “President Jonathan should be commended for taking a bold step to sign the bill into law.
“Same-sex marriage is not only alien to Nigeria but to the entire African continent.”
He said that the law was meant for Nigerians, who had expressed their support for it.
“The Federal Government should ignore whatever other countries will say on the law because it is meant for Nigerians only.”
Jonathan, NASS took the right path – NCSN
The NCSN commended President Jonathan and the NASS for passing the law against same sex marriage.
The NCSN President, Chief Udo Udeogaranya, said the law would preserve and sustain African culture and insisted that “on the issue of marriage, relationship, social behaviour and our country, members of National Assembly and President Jonathan made the best choice.”
His words: “We commend President Jonathan for taking a strong moral stand in the face of vindictive Western world by signing the anti-gay bill into law. This singular act has once again crowned President Jonathan’s efforts towards promotion, preservation and sustenance of our African culture, heritage and values.
We urge members of the National Assembly and the President to consider filtering and censoring programmes being disseminated into the country from the Western media, as another major step in protecting our young ones from immoral and uncultured views.”
US cannot dictate to us, CAN, others
The umbrella body of Christians in the country, Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, also said the US government cannot dictate to us to leave our moral, and accept their own immoral ways of life.
Responding to the US opposition to the recently signed bill banning same-sex marriage in Nigeria, the General Secretary of CAN, Rev. Musa Asake said, “the thing that bothers me is that, none of them in the US that is promoting this thing have gays in their family.
“We are solidly behind our president for doing the right thing. Can they allow their sons and daughters to marry each other like that or why are they bothered to meddle into our own affairs?
“I congratulate our president, our legislature, this is the right thing we are doing. We don’t have to drift into a situation, where we don’t have moral values, because somebody is helping you with a little money. Let them hold on to their money, we will still survive by the grace of God.”
