The fate of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender, popularly known as LGBT in Nigeria is hanging in the balance as the clamp down on them by the authorities has increased especially in the South South region of the country.
There is hardly a week gone past without a reported case of LGBT in the country. It is either the police are making arrests, declaring LGBT members wanted or removing dead bodies of LGBT members who were mobbed to death by irate youths.
Same sex relationship is criminalized in Nigeria under the Same Sex Marriage Prohibition Act of 2013. The traditional institutions in Nigeria are also against same sex relationships due to shared cultural beliefs and practices among them.
For instance, the Benin people of the ancient Benin Kingdom, abhor activities of LGBT because they are considered as serious abomination to the gods of the land. Therefore, such taboos must not be allowed to occur in Benin land.
As a result of this, many LGBT members have been killed through the means of jungle justice while several others have narrowly escaped death but not without injuries inflicted on them by the locals who happily take the laws into their hands.
According to Elder Imariabevbe Osagbaekhoe,the odionwere of Oguola in Benin, ” it is a serious abomination for people of the same sex to engage in love affairs in Benin land. Our gods forbid that and if anyone is caught doing it, the offenders are required stone for the abominable act by paying heavy fines to cleanse the land of the pollution and atrocities they committed against the gods of the land.
“This is so to forestall the untimely death of many innocent persons in the land. If any house owner tries to cover up and he or she is caught, his or her house, including all the property in the house must be burnt down. Again, anyone who knows about the illicit love affairs between two same sex persons and refuses to expose them, the gods of the land will visit such person and inflict him or her with incurable disease.”
Little wonder therefore, that two young men, identified as Darlington Itoya and Austine Osarugue Edobor may not set their feet on Benin land in a long time to come while Festus Igbineweka,Vincent Obi, Frank Okoli, John Opakunle and Felix Obasuyi and others arrested for same offence are being made to face the music according to the law of the land and Benin tradition.
Our investigation revealed that the said Darlington Itoya and Osarugue Edobor, are presently on the run. They were allegedly caught red handed making love to fellow men, in the Oguola axis of Benin City.
One of them was said to have recently returned from an overseas country to Benin City, where he got entangled with his old gay lover, named Festus Igbineweka in an after party sex rump on June 30,2023 at House number 14 Oguola Road, off Siluko Road in Benin.
The dou was captured along with Festus Igbineweka and other offenders including Vincent Obi, Frank Okoli, John Opakunle and Felix Obasuyi by the vigilant youths in the area who subjected them to serious torture. Luckily for Austine Osarugue and Darlington who were also involved miraculously escaped with their lives but not without bodily harms. The host Festus Igbineweka whose father’s house was venue for the party and others were seriously beaten and handed over to the police for prosecution.
That not withstanding, investigation further revealed that Darlington,Osarugue and others on the run have been declared wanted by the Edions (elders) of the area to perform some traditional rituals meant to cleanse the land of the abominable act to prevent dire consequences on innocent people.
The gay lovers are also expected to present the atonement items which include, a live spotless white cow, 1,000 cowrie shells, seven bottles of red palm oil, 100 pieces of kolanuts, 14 cloves of alligator pepper, one cartoon of dry gin, 200 tubers of red yam, white native hen, etc.
Meanwhile, the gay exponents who are said to be in hiding, could not go to the police to report their ordeals in the hands of the natives because same sex relationship has been criminalized in Nigeria under the Same Sex Marriage Prohibition Act 2013.
The offence on conviction attracts 14 years jail term.
As at the time of filing this report, the whereabouts of the two gay lovers Darlington Itoya and Austine Edobor remain unknown. #
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