The governing body of Nigerian football has defended itself after its
vice-president reportedly blamed the poor state of women’s football on
homosexuality.
The vice-president of the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF), Seyi
Akinwunmi, made the remarks at a meeting of sports writers in the city of
Ibadan in Nigeria’s southwestern Oyo state on Saturday, according to
Nigerian daily Punch , when listing the problems affecting female football
in the West African country.
Akinwunmi, who said that his “passion for female football is as great as
it is for grassroots football,” listed lower financial returns and less
public interest as some of the problems blighting women’s football in
Nigeria. Then, he appeared to turn to the issue of sexuality. “Lesbianism
kills teams,” said Akinwunmi, according to Punch . “People are afraid to
talk about it. The coaches take advantage of the girls, so there is much
more to build in female football.”
The comments generated significant interest in the Nigerian media and the
NFF published a statement from Akinwunmi on Monday defending his comments.
Akinwunmi said that he had merely noted that potential sponsors considered
women’s football to be “synonymous with lesbianism” and therefore “shied
away from supporting the women’s game.” Akinwumni said that he had
informed reporters that the NFF is “sparing no effort to correct this
erroneous perception and to spur the growth and development of the women’s
game.”
The Oyo State Chapter of the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria—which
hosted the event—also published a statement on Monday in support of
Akinwunmi. The statement said that Akinwunmi’s comments were “being
interpreted out of context and being promoted in negative connotations by
those bent on mischief.” The statement added: “His [Akinwunmi’s] only
mention of lesbianism was in general terms and not relative to women’s
football and it in no way suggests an opinion on [the] sexual orientation
of any player.”
Sexual relations between gay and lesbian couples is illegal in Nigeria and
new legislation passed under former President Goodluck Jonathan in January
2014 criminalized same-sex marriage, members of LGBT groups and public
displays of same-sex affection, with homosexual couples facing up to 14
years in prison if they break the law. During a July 2015 visit to the
United States, when the issue of legalizing same-sex marriage was raised,
current Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari “point blank” refused to
discuss the issue, since homosexuality is “abhorrent” to Nigerian culture,
according to presidential spokesman Femi Adesina.
The Nigerian women’s national team, known as the Super Falcons, are the
most successful in Africa. The team have competed at every Women’s World
Cup since the competition’s inception in 1991 and have triumphed in the
Africa Women Cup of Nations nine times.
Bisi Alimi, a Nigerian LGBT activist who came out in national television
in the country in 2004, says that Akinwunmi’s reported comments “do not
appeal to common sense” and should have consequences. “It’s extremely
irresponsible and in any sane community such a statement would lead to
somebody losing their job. Unfortunately it’s not the same in Nigeria,”
says Alimi, 41, who says he fled Nigeria in 2007 after an assassination
attempt.
The coach of Nigeria’s male national team, Sunday Oliseh, recently
resigned citing unpaid wages and other contract violations. Alimi says he
is surprised Oliseh’s resignation was not also blamed on homosexuality by
the NFF. “Is that caused by homosexuality as well? Are the homosexuals
holding back the hands of the government to pay the salary of the coach of
the national team?” says Alimi.
Akinwunmi’s reported comments are not the first time the issue of LGBT
rights in women’s football has come up. Former Super Falcons coach
Eucharia Uche came under fire in June 2011 for calling homosexuality
“dirty” and admitting she forced lesbians out of her team, AFP reported .
FIFA also looked into claims that Dilichukwu Onyedinma, chair of the
Nigeria Women’s Football League and an NFF executive committee member, had
banned lesbianism from Nigerian football.
Newsweek