Gay marriages: “Majority of Nigerians are against it” – Olugbenga Ashiru

by Chi Ibe

Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Olugbenga Ashiru (Photo: Punch)
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Olugbenga Ashiru
(Photo: Punch)

It looks like the international community is not getting off the governments back easily. For what sounds like the umpteenth time, officials have said same-sex marriage ban is here to stay in Nigeria.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Olugbenga Ashiru was the latest government official to address the issue insisting that Nigeria will not succumb to external pressure to legalise same-sex marriage.

This time though, Ashiru was not directing his comment at the international committee or gay rights activists but to the Christian Association of Nigeria, based on a statement where they accused him of saying Nigeria would accept gay diplomats and their “spouses”, if posted to the country.

In a statement on Sunday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs reportedly said at no time did Ashiru make reference to gay diplomats in any of his statements or interviews.

[READ: No going back: Death penalty, gay marriage ban are here to stay – FG insists ]

[READ: I want to export gay marriage around the world- David Cameron ]

The statement read; “The attention of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been drawn to stories on gay rights issues and Nigeria’s position on the matter.

“At his meeting with the diplomatic community on Friday July 19, the Foreign Affairs Minister, in his statement read to the meeting, where journalists and media executives were present, said foreign countries should not impose their values on Nigeria.

“While Nigeria is not against any country legalising gay marriages, no country should force that on Nigeria. Nigeria and majority of Nigerians are against gay rights and marriages, as they are not part of our customs, religion or law. At no time did the minister make reference to gay diplomats in his statement or interview.”

According to reports, Ashiru is said to have told foreign diplomats at a meeting that: “We don’t tell other countries how to live their lives. We don’t impose values on any country. Other countries too should not impose their own values on us. We don’t oppose any country that has put in their constitution the gay rights to allow two men or two women to marry themselves. But for Nigeria and a number of other African countries, it is not part of our culture yet.”

Just last week, British Prime Minister, David Cameron vowed to ‘export’  gay marriage around the world.

‘I’m personally proud of this. I  think it’s a really good step. I’ve told the Bill team I’m now going to reassign  them because, of course, all over the world people would have been watching this  and we’ve set something of an example of how to pass good legislation in good  time,” he said.

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