Criminalizing LGBTQ+ identity and expression up to 14 years imprisonment wasn’t enough for the Nigerian government. The New Bill.

Written by Adunni Tiwatope | 8:20pm

Nigerians will never learn. Is this more important than insecurity in our land? Is this more important than inflation? Is this more important than regular ASUU strike? Is cross-dressing so much of a national disturbance?
Well, elections are close and the lots of these reps…

— Oghenekaro Aruakpor (@SugarBoyKaro) April 5, 2022

Umar Muda a member of the house of Representatives on the 5th of April, 2022, as reported by SAHARA REPORTERS –
introduced and read a bill to further criminalize cross-dressing In Nigeria with liable punishment of up to 6month imprisonment or a fine of five hundred thousand naira.

This bill seeks to further enforce the SAME-SEX MARRIAGE PROHIBITION ACTS “SSMPA 2014” and amend the extension to include cross-dressing as one of the offences under the act, as if cross-dressing in Nigeria ever seize being a crime. It is yet another day in the unsafe targeted lives of Queer/LGBTQ+ people by the Nigerian government while neglecting all systemic emerging odds of the state. The Nigerian government and its law enforcement agents would better criminalize the minority for living than fix the simplest potholes on the federal roads in Nigeria.

The proposed bill doesn’t just aim to further criminalize LGBTQ+ but also aims at oppressing and taking up our tiniest freedom of expression and visibility, constantly painting us as the most social problem that needs to be immediately eradicated before the system can function while sailing the nation close to the wind.

Ahead of the 2015 elections was the ANTI-GAY laws “SSMPA” and this year, 7 years after, ahead of the 2023 elections is a need for the expansion of the “SSMPA” waved criminalizing cross-dressing, the most understood term for “Transgender” in Nigeria up to 6month imprisonment or paying an exploitative fine of five hundred thousand nairas.
It’s no doubt that the Nigerian government take pleasure in the unhealthy political strategy of baiting LGBTQ+ minority lives to please the masses in exchange for their desirable biased thumbprint on their ballot papers.

This is because hypocrisy hides in the heart of imperial religious practices in Nigeria and homophobia/transphobia is a key to unlocking the masses – The idea of “SSMPA” happened as bait to catch the attention of Nigerian mass ignorant bigots in exchange for 8years trust. However, the proposed read bill is yet to be passed aimed target at Bobrisky(Okuneye Idris Olanrewaju ), Denrele(Adenrele Oluwafemi Edun), and James Brown(James Chukwueze Obialor) and other cross-dressers in Nigeria.

We hope that someday, Nigeria and her people would realize the great harm they have caused for a better inclusive and respectful change.

Below are a few reactions of Nigerians;

https://twitter.com/oritsesant/status/1511413429701120001?s=21&t=CerovgnqnXZjoW3vFvbzog

https://twitter.com/olafare_marvell/status/1511443379741085698?s=21&t=CerovgnqnXZjoW3vFvbzog