As President Muhammadu Buhari prepares to meet with his United States
counterpart, Barack Obama, in the White House next Monday, the US
government is expected to make another case asking the Nigerian government
to repeal its law against same-sex unions.
Making this known Monday, the US Assistant Secretary of State for African
Affairs, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, stated that the US would continue to
pressure Nigeria until it legalises same-sex marriage.
According to the Nigerian Pilot, Thomas-Greenfield revealed America’s
plans yesterday during a live-web chat with journalists in Washington DC.
US recently legalised gay marriage, a development, which sparked off mixed
reactions across the globe.
Thomas-Greenfield, who said the US had adopted the protection of the
rights of same-sex people as part of its foreign policies, vowed that
Washington would continue to mount and sustain pressure on Nigeria and
other countries to reverse their laws against lesbians, gays, bisexuals
and transgender (LGBT) community.
She said: “As a government, it is one of the highest priorities and
strongest values that discrimination against anyone based on their sexual
orientation and gender identity is wrong. We believe human rights should
be available to everybody.
“As a policy, we will continue to press the government of Nigeria, as well
as other governments which have provided legislation that discriminate
against the LGBT community.”
Thomas-Greenfield, who did not agree that pressuring Nigeria to reverse
the anti-gay law amounted to interference, said Nigeria and Uganda have
the hardest legislation on the gay community.
She said: “This is very much a work in progress, but I think you will
agree with me that the law in Nigeria really went far in discriminating
against this community but also people who associate with them. So, we
will continue to press the government, to press the legislature to change
these laws and provide human rights for all Nigerian people regardless of
their sexual orientation.”
Thomas-Greenfield was optimistic that the US would win the fight to
protect the LGBT community.
She continued: “With what is happening in the US, you can determine how
far we are willing to go.
We strongly believe human rights for all people and we are particularly
opposed to legislation that actually targets the gay community for
discrimination.
“So we are prepared to push this as a policy, not just in Africa but
across the world.”