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Anti- Homosexual Bandwagon: Between Human Right,Secularism And Morality By Habibullah sadiq Abdussamad As a poor school teacher whose take home pay cannot take home, battered by poverty (Oh! Thank God monetization is coming) only to be left with black board and chalk; I beg your pardon! White board and temporary marker; one would have wished to remain on the on-lookers seat. But sometimes one feel agitated by the words of the Black Nationalist, Walter Rhodney that described on-lookers as Cowards or Traitors. Even though, it is not one’s aspiration to suffer the fate of brevity, the Nigerian experience. However, experience has shown that depending on the circumstance, one can take the on-lookers saddle without been affixed, prefixed or suffixed with any of the underlined. In the recent past when the five-leper-fingers of Abacha and Daniel Kanu’s YEAA were at their peak, most Afenifere kinsmen including the gruesomely murdered Minister for Justice chose to siddon look and allow the natural course. That I believed saved them from the iron hands of Abacha that handled late(s) General ‘Yar adua, Chief MKO Abiola, Ken Saro Wiwa and the narrowly escaped incumbent President. Religious Question But then, no matter how one tries to keep mute, as a teacher, saddled with the responsibility of instilling discipline in the minds of the leaders of tomorrow, issues arise that engage one’s conscience and challenge his intellect. One such is that raised in the piece authored by an ardent writer Crispin Oduabuk, whose write –ups one cherish much.
(http://www.amanaonline.com/Articles/art_1665.htm)
After reading the said piece, I begin to ponder if the
writer is a follower of any of the two or ‘three”
popular religions in Nigeria; i.e. Islam, Christianity
and Idolatory, the rhetorical traditional religion.
For anybody who has faith in any of the first two
religions would have learnt from childhood (in the
scriptures) that legislation on homosexuality is not “needless”, since
it is only re-echoing what has already been captured by the two most
“populous” religions in the country.
Right or Wrong?
It is in history that, the act was first introduced
and practiced by the people of Prophet Lut (Peace Be
Upon Him). He cursed them and anger and wrath of Allah
befell them. The question of whether homosexuality is
right or wrong is ambiguous especially from the
caliber of the writer whose principle has been, call a
spade-a spade (my perception). In fact, common sense
have it that, as my brother lawyer would say, the
essence of making laws is not to punish, but rather,
to serve as deterrent to committing the offence.
However, in my opinion and the likes, homosexuality is
not only wrong but it is mean as well. The write-up
under review think that gays in Nigeria operate in
silence, hence, no need of legislation since getting
the offenders will amount to peeping into bedrooms.
The simple answer is, the law will also lie silently
and rise against the offenders only when they
burst-out.
Critical Question
Sometimes it baffles me to see someone wasting his
energy and talent trying to justify what is
unjustifiable in the name of human rights crusade.
Does it mean that those people are more human than
Almighty Allah who initiated and completed the
creation of the whole Universe and what is found
therein with nobody’s consent? Whether one likes it or
not, Nigeria is a multi-religious setting-devoid of
secularists theories. It is even funny to note that
despite all the noise about secularism-the word cannot
be traced in the grand norm. Now the question is this,
if one has faith and sincere respect for the religion
he chose to follow, does he need any legislation to
deter him from homosexuality?
Biblical Punishment
At least the positions of the two dominant religions
are very explicit. In Leviticus 18: 6-24, under the
prohibited marriages, the Bible says: “You shall not
lie with a male as with a female: that would be a
serious abominable act”(Leviticus 18:22). That is a
warning from the Creator to the created. Now if the
created defy the simple warning and commit the
offence, then divine punishment is ascribed to that in
the same Leviticus 20:13 “If a man lies with a male as
with a female, both men have done an abominable act
and they must be put to death-their blood be on their
own heads”.
Qur’anic Punishment
Similarly, Holy Qur’an reveals: And (We sent) Lut, who
said to his people “will you persist in these indecent
acts which no other nation has committed before you?
You lust after men instead of woman. Truly, you are a degenerate
people”(Surah 7:80). In the same vein, chapter 6:151-153 have these
messages: Say (Oh
Muhammad) “Come, I will tell you what your Lord has
made binding on you; that you shall serve no other
gods beside Him; that you shall show kindness to your
parents; that you shall not kill your children because
you cannot support them; we provide for you and for
them; that you shall not commit foul sins whether
openly or in secret; and that you shall not kill-for
that is forbidden by Allah-except for just cause.
Thus, Allah exhorts you that you may discern” Allah
warns further: “Do not touch the property of orphans,
but strive to improve their lot until they reach
maturity; give just weights and full measure; we never
charge a soul with more than it can bear; speak for
justice, even if affects your own kinsmen; be true to
the covenant of Allah. Thus, He exhorts you, so that
you may take heed. The message concludes thus, “This
path of mine is straight. Follow it and do not follow
paths, for they will lead you away from Him. Thus
Allah commands you, so that you may guard yourselves
against evil. To sum up, in a narration reported by
Imam Ahmad, Prophet Muhammad (SAW) was quoted as
saying: “ Anybody you grab involved in the acts of the
people of Lut (AS), kill both of them”. From the fore
going it is clear that the “kill them all’s” are those
who have sincere believe in their religions. Hence,
needs no legislation to be deterred from
homosexuality. But those who theorize and hide under
the guise of secularism and human right crusade can
only be checked with man made laws-like the
anti-homosexuality act.
Finally, the writer of the said article is perceived
as a religious follower of the man made laws- the
constitution. My word of caution here is this: the
sit-tight dictators-Musaveni, Mubarak, Obasanjo and
the rest, to attain to their selfish goals can always manipulate such
laws. This will ultimately leave such the followers bare like the
communists after the demise of the Soviet Union.
Habibullah sadiq Abdussamad writes from Sokoto.
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