• Main News
  • About Us
  • Contact
Premium Times Opinion
Wednesday, August 10, 2022
  • Home
  • Democracy and Governance
    • Bámidélé Upfront
    • Jibrin Ibrahim
    • Okey Ndibe
  • Economy
    • Ifeanyi Uddin
  • Issues of the Day
    • Adeolu Ademoyo
    • Aribisala on Tuesday
    • Dele Agekameh
    • Pius Adesanmi
  • Politics
    • Ebeneezer Obadare
    • Femi Fani-Kayode
    • Garba Shehu
    • Hannatu Musawa
    • Zainab Suleiman Okino
  • Guest Columns
  • Faith
    • Article of Faith
    • Sunday Ogidigbo
    • Friday Sermon
    • Elevated Sight
  • Home
  • Democracy and Governance
    • Bámidélé Upfront
    • Jibrin Ibrahim
    • Okey Ndibe
  • Economy
    • Ifeanyi Uddin
  • Issues of the Day
    • Adeolu Ademoyo
    • Aribisala on Tuesday
    • Dele Agekameh
    • Pius Adesanmi
  • Politics
    • Ebeneezer Obadare
    • Femi Fani-Kayode
    • Garba Shehu
    • Hannatu Musawa
    • Zainab Suleiman Okino
  • Guest Columns
  • Faith
    • Article of Faith
    • Sunday Ogidigbo
    • Friday Sermon
    • Elevated Sight
No Result
View All Result
Premium Times Opinion
Home Opinion

Same-Sex Marriage: Who Be Government Teacher? By Reno Omokri

by Ogala Emmanuel
January 21, 2014
Reading Time: 5 mins read
0

Reno Omokri defends anti-gay bill as he says homosexuality is against Nigeria’s culture, Christianity and Islam.

The criticism President Goodluck Jonathan has faced in some quarters for signing the Same-Sex Marriage Prohibition Bill 2011 into law is in my opinion clearly misplaced. For one, these critics have to understand that the way and manner democracy works, at least in Nigeria, is that the legislature makes the laws, the Executive implements it and the Judiciary interprets it.

But be that as it may, in Nigeria, the President at any time is both a Head of State as well as the Head of Government; this is one reason why the President is called an Executive President.

As Head of State, President Jonathan is duty bound to epitomize the culture of Nigeria. As the late Afrobeat Maestro, Fela Anikulapo Kuti, sang in his hit song, ‘Teacher Don’t Teach me Nonsense’, the government’s teachers are culture and tradition. In fact, to quote Fela, he said ‘who be government teacher, culture and tradition’. You go France, Germany, Italy, na them culture for there be teacher for them’.

Many of those now criticizing the President danced with glee and agreement to that tune because as Jesus Christ said in John 8:32 “you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free”. What Christ did not add, but which we have come to find out ourselves is that before the truth sets you free, it may first make you angry!

Nigeria has its culture and it is the duty of governments to protect their culture.

It is quite unfortunate that critics who praise foreign human right agencies for calling for sanctions against Nigeria have not realized that Nigeria has cultures that many foreign nations would not tolerate.

For instance, Amy Chua, popularly known as ‘The Tiger Mom’ has an upcoming book entitled ‘The Triple Package’ in which she lists Nigerians as one of 8 Super Races who raise excellent children. One of the reasons which Chua lists for the successes of Nigerian parenting is the fact that many if not all Nigerian parents would not think twice about spanking a child who misbehaves as a way of correcting their behaviour.

Many of my readers will agree that the fear of a spanking is a great motivator to behave well. In fact, some Nigerian parents will even spank their children if they have bad grades at school. Chua notes that the fear of such a spanking greatly motivates Nigerian children to do better than children of other nationalities. It is worth noting that Amy Chua is of Asian origin.

As a result, wherever they go, but especially in the United States, Nigerians are the immigrant community with the highest educational qualifications bar none!

However, it is actually illegal to spank children in many U.S. states and in much of Europe. And Nigerian parents have been arrested for motivating their children via spanking.

Now, if foreign domains would not tolerate something that is part of our own culture and which has been used to positive effects by generations of Nigerians, why should we accept something that is not in our own culture in order to please others?

In the modern world in which we live in, male and female sexuality have been flashed very powerfully and provocatively by the media on youth approaching puberty to the extent that mixed messages on sexuality are passed on to many youth who do not know how to handle the images they see and their response to them.

The confusion that these images bring leads to tendencies being formed. If these tendencies are fed, they will grow stronger. If they are starved, they will grow weaker.

Almost 100 per cent of the Nigerian population declare that they are Christians, Muslims or traditionalists. All of these religions reject homosexuality as a way of life. Let me make myself very clear here, these religions reject homosexuality as a way of life and not homosexuals. During His lifetime on earth, Jesus hated sin but showed love to sinners.

As such, we must understand that good laws shouldn’t conflict with The Word of God to suit lifestyles. Rather, they should conflict with lifestyles to suit The Word of God.

There would be people that would say the law is not fair to those with such a lifestyle and they may have a point. But we must be able to distinguish between what is fair and what is right. They are not the same thing.

For instance, if you are a Christian you know that in Christianity, once there is genuine repentance, God will still forgive even a serial killer and leave open the doorway to eternal life in His Kingdom to such a person. On the other hand, if his victims died without accepting Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour, according to Scripture, they would be unable to access eternal life in the kingdom of God.

Now, if you ask me, I would say that it does not sound fair, and many people would be of the same opinion. But it is right, if you are a Christian, because Christians believe that God made us and is Sovereign over us.

It is not only homosexuality that is against our culture and the religions which we profess as Nigerians. Corruption, oil theft, election rigging, terrorism and other activities are likewise against our culture and religion and we have made laws against them and people have been arrested and sent to jail. Nobody is singling out homosexuality.

So when foreign Op-ed pieces lampoon the Nigerian Legislature as well as the Federal Government, rather than hold these opinion pieces as proof that an error was made with the signing into law of this bill, what we as Nigerians must do is to ask ourselves the question, what should be the driver of our ground norm, the basic norm, order and rule that forms the underlying basis for our legal system? Should it be the opinions and cultures of other nations or should it be the cultures of our people?

And it is trite nonsense for critics to write that the President only signed the Bill in order to distract the public. With all due respect, distract the public from what? If a genuine rebranding of a nation is the projection of positive things that are happening, then there are enough positive things happening in Nigeria that are capable of catching and holding the attention of Nigerians.

For the first time in our nation’s history, this year’s World Economic Forum on Africa will be hosted by Nigeria in Abuja from May 7-9, 2014.

The choice of Nigeria as a host is against the background that Nigeria, under President Jonathan, has recently emerged as the largest economy in Africa (tinyurl.com/pbbld8r). Today, Nigerians live 10 per cent longer than they did in 2007 and earn 65 per cent more than they did in the same period (tinyurl.com/y5tfwwd) and (tinyurl.com/yyl5xy2).

With the growth in our economy and the progress in our Human Development Index, why would the President need to divert the attention of Nigerians with the Same-Sex Marriage Prohibition Bill? If there is any distraction at all it is that this storm in a tea cup is distracting media attention from the real and tangible benefits of the Transformation Agenda such as the fact that Nissan recently announced that as a result of the new National Automobile Policy they would begin to build cars in Nigeria with effect from 2014.

Let me add one last word to those who continue to criticize President Jonathan. You can’t pursue greatness and comfort at the same time. Leaders must be willing to stand up for what they know is right even when critics cry for blood.

Reno Omokri is Special Assistant to President Goodluck Jonathan on New Media.

Share this:

  • Tweet
  • Email
  • Print
  • More
  • Pocket
  • Share on Tumblr

Related

Previous Post

Komla Dumor: Tribute to a natural broadcaster, By Muhammad Jameel Yusha’u

Next Post

‘Change’ in PDP Comes With Expiry Date, By Garba Shehu

Related Posts

Zamfara Gold As Commonwealth, By Zailani Bappa
Opinion

Sheikh Gumi, Governor Matawalle and the Sands of Time, By Zailani Bappa

February 2, 2021
June 12 As Democracy Day Needs To Be Reconsidered, By Bashir Tofa
Opinion

The Need To Act Now To Stop the Ethnic Conflagration!, By Bashir Othman Tofa

February 2, 2021
Kofi Annan: In Service of the World, By Ejeviome Eloho Otobo & Oseloka H. Obaze
Opinion

Biden’s Likely Policy Orientation Toward Africa, By Ejeviome E. Otobo and Oseloka H. Obaze

February 2, 2021
Agenda for ‘Born Again’ JAMB and TETFUND, By Tunde Musibau Akanni
Opinion

Oyeweso, A Celebrated Historian, Ascends the Sixth Floor, By Tunde Akanni

February 2, 2021
Before Nigeria Burns, By Akin Fadeyi
Opinion

Is President Buhari Presiding Over the Last United Nigeria?, By Akin Fadeyi

February 2, 2021
On A Soyinka Prize In ‘Illiteracy’, By Biko Agozino
Opinion

Obasanjo: Only Those Who Did Not Do Well Went Into the Military, By Biko Agozino

February 1, 2021
Next Post

‘Change’ in PDP Comes With Expiry Date, By Garba Shehu

Tukur as sacrificial lamb, By Dele Agekameh

Editorial

  • EDITORIAL: The Urgency of Tackling Nigeria’s Second Wave of COVID-19

    EDITORIAL: The Urgency of Tackling Nigeria’s Second Wave of COVID-19

  • EDITORIAL: Unearthing the Cogent Lessons In the NESG-CBN Economic Policy Imbroglio

    EDITORIAL: Unearthing the Cogent Lessons In the NESG-CBN Economic Policy Imbroglio

  • EDITORIAL: COVID-19: Calling On Nigeria’s Billionaires and Religious Leaders To Step Up

    EDITORIAL: COVID-19: Calling On Nigeria’s Billionaires and Religious Leaders To Step Up

  • EDITORIAL: Bichi Must Go; Buhari Must Halt Slide Into Despotism

    EDITORIAL: Bichi Must Go; Buhari Must Halt Slide Into Despotism

  • EDITORIAL: The Flaws In Governor Emefiele’s Five-Year Plan For Central Bank of Nigeria

    EDITORIAL: The Flaws In Governor Emefiele’s Five-Year Plan For Central Bank of Nigeria

Subscribe to our Opinion articles via email

Enter your email address to get notifications of new opinion articles as they are published.

Join 526,543 other subscribers

Most Popular

  • The Bad Consequences and Dangers of Adultery and Fornication (Zina) In Islam, By Murtadha Gusau
    The Bad Consequences and Dangers of Adultery and Fornication (Zina) In Islam, By Murtadha Gusau
  • Islam and the Conditions For Marrying More Than One Wife, By Murtadha Gusau
    Islam and the Conditions For Marrying More Than One Wife, By Murtadha Gusau
  • The Importance Of Keeping Secrets In Islam, By Murtadha Gusau
    The Importance Of Keeping Secrets In Islam, By Murtadha Gusau
  • The Women Prohibited For Men To Marry In Islam, By Murtadha Gusau
    The Women Prohibited For Men To Marry In Islam, By Murtadha Gusau
  • The Qualities of a Good Leader In Islam, By Murtadha Gusau
    The Qualities of a Good Leader In Islam, By Murtadha Gusau
  • Revisiting the Corruption Theory of A Departed Journalist, By Banji Ojewale
    Revisiting the Corruption Theory of A Departed Journalist, By Banji Ojewale
  • Slaughtering Animal for the New Born Baby (Al-Aqiqah) In Islam, By Murtadha Gusau
    Slaughtering Animal for the New Born Baby (Al-Aqiqah) In Islam, By Murtadha Gusau

Like us on Facebook

Like us on Facebook

Podcasts

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

  • Main News
  • About Us
  • Contact

© 2022 JNews - Premium WordPress news & magazine theme by Jegtheme.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Democracy and Governance
    • Bámidélé Upfront
    • Jibrin Ibrahim
    • Okey Ndibe
  • Economy
    • Ifeanyi Uddin
  • Issues of the Day
    • Adeolu Ademoyo
    • Aribisala on Tuesday
    • Dele Agekameh
    • Pius Adesanmi
  • Politics
    • Ebeneezer Obadare
    • Femi Fani-Kayode
    • Garba Shehu
    • Hannatu Musawa
    • Zainab Suleiman Okino
  • Guest Columns
  • Faith
    • Article of Faith
    • Sunday Ogidigbo
    • Friday Sermon
    • Elevated Sight

© 2022 JNews - Premium WordPress news & magazine theme by Jegtheme.

This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Privacy and Cookie Policy.