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Buhari Must Be Cautious …Of Same Sex Marriage, Gay Rights
Buhari and Obama
One of the high points of the Seventh Senate was its demonstration of unbelievable courage to outlaw same-sex marriage in Nigeria, even when the United States and other Western powers mounted immense pressure to do otherwise. That decision was popular among Nigerians because same-sex marriage is not only a taboo, it has no relevance to any tribe’s culture, religion and or belief system in the country.
Normally, every nation identifies its unique socio-cultural worries and make laws to check such anti-social behaviours. This is because what is a norm in one clime may be a taboo in another. That also accounts for why countries of the world are still divided over the issue of capital punishment, for crimes like armed robbery, kidnapping, treason arson and the likes.
Unfortunately, what started as a human rights crusade, in the mould of discrimination against homosexuals and lesbians in the West, is gradually being imposed on the world as a norm by world powers, especially the United States (US). In the past three or so years. the Obama administration has been pushing for the legalisation of same-sex marriages under the cover of advocating human rights, in the African Continent and elsewhere.
Of course, the most vulnerable of countries are those in Sub-Saharan Africa, which so poor, scramble for every little gratis the world’s biggest economy can give. In that state of helplessness, some countries can do any and everything to please their potential pay-masters to remain economically above water.
This is why Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari, must be cautious in the new-found friendship, he now finds himself with US President Barrack Obama, who is in his lame duck months. With the hype and euphoria that attended Buhari’s visit to the US and expectations therefrom, it is not unlikely that Buhari could toe some liberal paths, if only to accommodate US hopes and fears.
Such quasi-Liberalism should not and must not include considering Obama’s campaign for gay rights, as a condition for a blissful friendship. America has a tendency of imposing its own culture on others, either directly or indirectly and could go to any length to frustrate non-comformists.
But those who have defied such instructions and likely rape on their cultures and religions are still alive as nations without any form of gratis from Big Brother America. They have instead defended their enviable heritage and guided their cultures and traditions jealously.
They did so because; even foremost American philosophers are agreed that a people without a culture are not fit to live. Indeed, a people’s identity stems from their language, dressing, and other cultural dynamics uniquely theirs. They are indeed treasures handed down to them by their forebears.
Same-Sex marriage is not part of any culture in Nigeria and should not be forced down the throat by any country no matter how highly placed.
Not only is it not supported by any known traditional ethos in the land, it lacks any religious and socio-cultural support of any kind.
All the holy books agree that the Maker created man and woman, different sexes, to cohabit and multiply. With that divine union, adult males of different sexes re-produce their kind and nurture them into full-grown adults to continue the reproductive process.
In that union, men and women have their roles to play, as divinely ordained. The woman conceives, bears children and suckles her upsprings while, the man toils for their needs in addition to giving fatherly direction and discipline for better moral upbringing.
These are sacred duties same-sex couples cannot properly perform. It is even an abomination for two males, as husband and wife, to be allowed to adopt other people’s children in the name of gay rights.
This is one of the immoralities that the US and other Western countries seek to impose on our culture, in the name of civilisation. And it should be resisted.
President Buhari must be watchful because it is very likely that the US political leadership may rob-it-in as a pre-condition for progressive investment in Nigeria. The trick often, is to state that some Americans and indeed other foreigners who may be in Nigeria for such investment purposes must not be discriminated against. That would mean, relaxing the country’s anti-gay laws, so that no American suffers any penalty arising from his choice of sex partner and sexuality.
This must be resisted no matter the amount of investment, for sanity of the nation and the future of our children.
No amount of foreign investment is worth the embrace of same-sex marriage with all its disadvantages and very corrupting influence on the morality of its peoples.
It is indeed troubling that the same moral decadence has infiltrated the Church in other lands, with supposed shepherds of the people confessing to be gay. There are tody, gay Bishops in such lands that daily confuse Christiandom.
So troubling even the Pope, the Spiritual head of the Catholic Church seems helpless and rather than fight the menace, sought an escape route, with the excuse, “if a gay wants to worship God, who am I to judge him or her” such is the force of the US campaign for gay rights and its influence on all known moral institutions.
But President Buhari must stand firm and defend what is most priceless to his nation. He must stand-by the decision of the 7th Senate which looked into the eyes of the West and said, ‘No, but no thanks’ to same-sex marriage.
If the National Assembly had not done that, Nigeria would today be experiencing open marriages by people of the same sex, even in places of worship and be blessed by supposed men of God. In a country where, the abominable easily gains currency within months, nearly half of the adult population could be indoctrinated.
Where does that leave us as a nation?
A people without values, history, culture and indeed morals?
A people consumed by fantasies of foreign lands in total neglect of their cultural heritage? A people without a direction and future for its growing young population? A people without an identity? These are what Buhari must avoid, should the pressures mount, as it is certain, they would anytime soon.
Sadly, President Barrack Obama, who is at the fore-front of the campaign for gay rights, is the son of a Kenyan scholarship student, a country on the African Continent where, Same-Sex marriage has always been a taboo. Yet, for only God knows why, he is bent on arm-twisting heads of African governments to guarantee gay rights as a pre-condition for American support or rejection.
Down under-water, some African counties are even beginning to listen, for purely economic benefits. Already, some non-governmental organisations (NGOs) are springing up, to grab American funding and help push the gay-rights campaign to all limits, and if need be, ensure constitutional reviews.
Nigeria is endowed with abundant human and material resources, which if properly harnessed and managed would sustain her without financial support from any Western nation. If corruption is minimized and the right persons appointed into positions of trust, this country would not need to mortgage her moral, cultural and indeed religious values for peanuts in the name of foreign support.
With the right structures in place and the required policy-drive to make them work, Nigeria can surely be great again with or without Western aid.
Others survived without same, for decades and are today respected as equal friends. Cuba is a ready example.
This is why President Buhari must be cautious of his romance with Obama and be very quick to reject any suggestion that could erode our morals, by way of institutionalising same-sex marriage.
Nigerians need foreign investments but not those owned by gays.
My Agony is that some Nigerian NGOs are already seeking funding from the West to push the campaigns in the country under the cover of human rights. Like armed robbery, same-sex marriage is a crime in Nigeria and should remain so.
Soye Wilson Jamabo
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DEPLOY YOUR CAPACITY, TECHNICAL KNOWHOW TO REVITALISE SONGHAI FARMS, FUBARA TELLS TASK FORCE
Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has said that diversifying the economy of the State has become inevitable because of the need to solve the problem of food shortages while also providing jobs for the teeming unemployed youths.
These, he said, are the reasons why great care has been taken to critically look at the prospects of revitalising the Songhai Integrated Farms, which is located in Bunu Tai, in Tai Local Government Area of the State.
Governor Fubara insisted that if the problem associated with food shortages is tackled with good intent and purpose, about 40 to 50 percent of current problems of economic hardship plaguing the country and its people would have been solved.
Governor Fubara made the assertion while inaugurating the Chairman, Mr Biedima Oliver, and members of the task force saddled with the responsibility of supervising the revitalization of Songhai Integrated Farms by its partners: Vitalcrop Ventures Limited and Imagine Adama Limited, at Government House in Port Harcourt, yesterday.
Other members of the task force included, the Rivers State Commissioner for Agriculture, Engr Victor Kii; Commissioner for Finance, Barrister Emmanuel Frank-Fubara; Dr Ayebaesin Beredugo; and Mr Maurice Ogolo.
The Governor explained that it took him time to approve the constitution of the task force being inaugurated because of the ugly experience with the previous group that shown such interest.
Governor Fubara stated that a process was initiated and driven halfway into the handing over of Songhai Farms on concession to an interested partner who latter showed a total lack of the needed capacity to undertake such task.
He said, “As a matter of fact, if few of you could remember, we even conceded the place to an investor who came in after he had made his presentation, and we, believing that he has the capacity, we said okay to him, and we had already signed up.
“But something happened. He came back to tell us that he wanted us to give him a N5billion bank guarantee. We then asked him, why? If we have the N5billion, why do we need you to come and even revitalize Songhai Farms? We would have put that N5billion there ourselves. For that reason, we cancelled that arrangement.”
Governor Fubara said now that two separate companies have come together to indicate interest and given the assurance of having the needed capacity to drive the process, he is delighted to see them meeting that expectation.
Governor Fubara pointed to the expectation of the people who want to see the Songhai Farms back on stream on a sustainable basis.
That expectation, he insisted, is also what his administration wants to see actualised within its lifespan.
He noted, “We want to see food sufficiency, because we know when Songhai Farms comes on board, there will be food, which is one of the problems we are having in this country. If we are able to tackle the issue of food, 40 to 50 percent of our problem will be solved.”
Governor Fubara also stated that although he believes in the presentation made by the group and has taken their assurance to heart, but warned that he would not tolerate a repeat of what happened before.
The Governor said, “I hope your story will not be (end) halfway too. I hope you have the capacity and all the technical knowhow to handle it. It is not when we start now, after we had finished inaugurating the task force, you will come back to tell us that you need $2million. If we have $2million, we won’t need you. We will invest it by ourselves.”
Governor Fubara, however, praised the capacity of the Chairman of the task force, Biedima Oliver, saying that incidentally, he was one of the personnel that convinced the then administration to develop the Songhai Farms, and had worked with the Rivers State Sustainable Development Agency (RSSDA) to manage the project.
He said, “He knows and understands the workings of Songhai, and now that we are making you the chairman of the task force, we want to believe that you will make that place come back to life.
“I don’t have any doubt in your capacity. A few things you’ve touched, you turned them to gold. Please, bring it back to what we used to see in Songhai. Bring it back with the help of your committee.”
Governor Fubara assured that his administration will remain committed to providing all the necessary support that they may require to make their assignment a success.
He added, “So, I hereby inaugurate you. Your task is very simple: Do everything within your powers and with our support to make sure that Songhai becomes operational to the benefit, not just the people of Tai, but to the entire Rivers State and Nigeria as a whole”.
In his acceptance speech, the Chairman of the Task Force to Supervise the Revitalization of Songhai Farms with Vitalcrop Ventures Limited and Imagine Adama Limited, Mr. Biedima Oliver, expressed appreciation to Governor Fubara for the opportunity and confidence reposed in them to revive Songhai Farms.
Mr. Oliver assured that they will deliver the expected goal on Songhai Farms, and doing so on time and on target so that the good people of Rivers State can eventually be happy and also benefit from the huge investment.
Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has declared that all the policies and programmes of his administration are tailored towards the protection of interest of Rivers people, especially the youths.
This, he said, is borne out of the importance his administration attaches to youths’ development and empowerment as leaders of tomorrow.
Fubara, according to a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Nelson Chukwudi, disclosed this when he received the youths of Emohua Local Government Area under the auspices of “Emohua Youths For SIM” on solidarity visit to Government House, Port Harcourt, last Friday.
He said that his administration has put in place modalities that will boost the livelihoods and well-being of Rivers citizens, which youths of Emohua will also benefit when they materialise.
The governor, who spoke through the Rivers State Head of Service, Dr. George Nwaeke, pointed out that the recently awarded Elele-Omudiaga-Egbeda-Ubimini-Ikiri-Omoku Road, the ongoing Emohua-Kalabari Road, reinstatement of illegally sacked workers of Emohua Local Government Area and the approval for electrification of the area, are part of deliberate measures to open up the area to make life conducive and more meaningful for the people.
According to him, “Everything about the governor is putting the interest of Rivers State first. He is looking at and taking action on those things that we need to do to restart the wheels of progress in Rivers State.
“There are many things the governor has planned and is already doing that will boost the life and welfare of every citizen of Rivers State, but most importantly the youths.
“Growing up, I learnt that Egbeda is one of the biggest communities in the whole of Ikwerre, and it’s predominantly an agrarian community. They have food in Egbeda, they have food in Ubimini, they have food in Omudiaga and other natural resources. The whole world is tilting to agriculture, and this is the way to go.
“The Elele-Umudioga-Egbeda-Ubimini-Omoku road, when completed, will open up the area for real development. Your food and everything you produce there will now have value, they will no longer be thrown away. In all these, you the youths are going to be the utmost beneficiaries.”
He added, “Same will be applicable to the Emohua-Kalabari Road which will also, trigger development in the area, and you will be the greatest beneficiaries. When the LGA is also electrified, you will be having 24 or 20 hours of electricity, and those things the youths can do with electricity, you can stay at home and create wealth for yourself and children.
“All the totality of what the governor is doing, when they are completed, or even as some are completed now, the youths are going to be utmost beneficiaries.”
While acknowledging that youths are the true leaders of tomorrow and any government that fails to carry them along in the scheme of things is doomed to fail, the governor assured them of his administration’s commitment to always address issues concerning youths and ensure that they are part of his government.
He commended the youths for toeing the path of truth by identifying with his administration, urging them to sustain the tempo and shun evil, as his government will ensure that the trend whereby politicians turn youths to beggars are over.
He said, “Youths are, indeed, the leaders of tomorrow. The time of youth is a very important time. It a time that your parents or whoever is your leader at that time have to make the greatest investment in you. And any Government that decides to only carry the elderly, chiefs aling and abandon the youths is bound to fail,” he asserted.
“But I am happy that Governor Fubara has concentrated his energy on everything that will benefit the society, especially the youths.
“And based on these, I want to thank you for recognising what is good and calling it good, for shunning what is evil, for saying the Governor is standing for you.
“Let me tell you, you are on the right direction. Let me tell you again, Rivers State is the bride of Nigeria. The whole Nigeria is looking at what will happen here. As they look here and see you standing on the path of truth, this is a very important step that you have taken to right all the wrongs of the past, to make Rivers State stand on the tripod of justice, peace and security. That is what we are going to gain through the governor, taking all the wise actions that he has already initiated.
“The projects the governor is embarking on are meant to prepare nets for the youths to fish and put food on their table, hence you should continue to follow him.
“The SIMplified Movement brought upon by the governor will ensure that Rivers youths stop the habit of going to bow down before politicians, pledging loyalty before they can eat.”
Earlier, spokesman for the Emohua Youths for SIM, Comrade Ovamale O. Ovamale, had said that the visit by youths from the 14 political wards in Emohua Local Government Area was to thank the governor for the award of the Elele-Omudiaga-Egbeda-Ubimini-Ikiri-Omoku road, the approval for electrification of the area and reinstatement of sacked workers of Emohua Local Government Council, of which the youths were mostly affected.
According to him, “Siminalayi Fubara of recent has given Emohua Local Government road that links Elele to Omoku, which comprises over four communities in the local government.”
“Emohua Local Government has also been in darkness for eight years. No community in the local government that has light. But, of recent, because of the passion and love the governor has for the people of Emohua, he has approved the electrification of the local government.
“Also, the illegal sack of Emohua Local Government workers, for which the youths were mostly affected and without the approval of the Local Government Service Commission, the governor, in his compassionate nature, has reinstated them, and that is why we said we must come and thank His Excellency”, he said.
Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has assured that his administration will collaborate and continue to consult widely in delivering a liberated State experiencing enduring peace.
Fubara said, in doing so, he would not operate as a dictator but as a member of a team that has the best interest of the State at heart and determined to leave a lasting legacy that can be celebrated.
The governor spoke during the formal presentation of Certificate of Recognition and Staff of Office to the Amanyanabo of Okochiri Kingdom, King Ateke Michael Tom, as first class tradition ruler, at Government House in Port Harcourt, yesterday.
Fubara stated that, during the Sixth State Executive Council meeting, N80.8billion was approved with 50 percent contract value paid already as the Government awarded the construction of the Elele-Egbeda-Omoku Road.
He said the project will be funded from the savings from Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) to underscore his administration’s prudence without also borrowing to complete the project.
“We are at a crossroad in our State where we all need to stand for what is right. It happens once in a life time. So, for now, be one of those people that will be in the course to liberate and free our dear State.
“And I know strongly that having the support of a peace-loving Amanyanabo of Okochiri Kingdom, having the support of the wonderful Council of Chiefs, having the support of the great people of Rivers State, we will bring peace in our State. We will do those things that are right to develop our State.
“We will continue to consult. We will not act as dictators. We will act as people who know that one day, we will leave, and when we leave, the way we have acted will speak for us. We will not force people to talk good about us. Our legacy will be a signature for how we led”, the governor said.
Fubara explained that he acted within the ambit of the law to upgrade the traditional stool upon which King Ateke Tom sits in recognition of his efforts in promoting peace in Okrika, and indeed, the State, and urged him to continue to do justice to everyone.
In his speech, Commissioner for Chieftaincy and Community Affairs, Hon Charles Amadi, congratulated King Ateke Tom for being formally presented with the Certificate of Recognition and Staff of Office as first class traditional ruler.
Also speaking, former Transport Minister, Chief Abiye Sekibo, thanked the governor for fulfilling his promise of upgrading the traditional stool of Okochiri Kingdom, and pledged the support of Kirike Se people to his administration.