Enhanced Conflict in Nigeria Due to False Beliefs Regarding EU Cooperation and LGBT Rights
False information about a partnership deal between the EU and Nigeria has further inflamed LGBT fears in a country where same-sex relationships are illegal. Some Nigerians have taken the European Union’s cooperation agreement with seventy-nine African, Caribbean, and Pacific nations—the Samoa Agreement—to mean that same-sex relationships are now legal.
Myths Surrounding the Samoa Accord
Nigeria signed the 403-page Samoa Agreement in June, but neither LGBT rights nor same-sex relationships are mentioned in it. However, false information was circulated in Nigeria’s Daily Trust newspaper claiming that the pact required developing and underdeveloped nations to acknowledge LGBT rights in order to receive support from more developed cultures, including financial aid. Many people mistakenly believed that the agreement would change Nigeria’s attitude on LGBT problems since this false narrative gained momentum.
The inclusion of such clauses in the agreement would not, according to Nigerian lawyer Ugo Egbujo, render Nigerian law unchanged. The present law, passed a decade ago, subjects same-sex couples to a maximum of fourteen years in jail. Domesticating international agreements is a difficult and intricate procedure, as Egbujo pointed out since the National Assembly must deliberate and approve any modification to the legislation.
Official Reaction and Citizen Reaction
Despite signing the Samoa Agreement to encourage economic growth, the Nigerian government has maintained that its anti-LGBT legislation remains unaltered. Additionally, a statement was released by the Nigerian Bar Association, which confirmed that the deal does not require Nigeria to recognize LGBT rights in order to receive financial assistance.
In spite of these guarantees, the opposition has utilized false information to incite hostility and political discontent. Muslim leaders Bola Tinubu and Kashim Shettima have come under fire for allegedly forsaking their faith. Controversies have erupted on social media, with influential users and political analysts adding fuel to the fire.
How it Affects the LGBT Community
The spread of false information has exacerbated the problem of hate speech directed towards the LGBT community. According to Bisola Akande, a local LGBT organization’s senior program officer, the group had to take precautions when members’ private information was leaked online, prompting them to shut down their website. The social media profiles of the Kano-based human rights organization Wise were also deactivated due to cyberattacks.
Revealed footage of a Hisbah police official speaking out for LGBT rights at a Wise event has only served to inflame the already simmering animosity. This official is responsible for implementing Sharia law. The official was detained as a result; he maintained that his comments were intended to promote women’s empowerment.
Furthermore, female TikTok users from Nigeria have been subjected to homophobic insults and misinterpretations of their relationships as romantic after they publish images with other women.
Problems and misunderstandings from the beginning
November saw the first public expression of disapproval of the Samoa Agreement when attorney Sonnie Ekwowusi warned the Nigerian government in an opinion piece published in the Vanguard daily not to sign the deal. He saw it as a subtle move toward LGBT rights legislation.
Nigeria’s ambassador to Belgium – Obinna Chiedu Onowu – signed the Samoa Agreement at the OACPS Secretariat in Brussels
Some African and Caribbean nations were hesitant to join the deal because of LGBT concerns, which the EU recognized. The European Union, on the other hand, insisted that the text of the deal did not go beyond preexisting international obligations. Having reviewed and discussed the deal extensively, the Nigerian government signed it after claiming that its terms were in line with Nigerian law.
Ignoring these explanations, Ekwowusi stoked the fires of controversy once again in a Daily Trust post wherein he claimed, incorrectly, that the accord legitimized a number of contentious subjects by misinterpreting certain passages. The papers’ contents, nevertheless, contradicted his assertions. Equal access to sexual and reproductive health care is supported by Article 29.5, and gender equality across policy is promoted in Article 2.5.
Ekwowusi demanded more precise definitions from the pact, claiming that phrases such as “gender equality” and “reproductive health” were code for LGBT rights and abortion.
The Samoa Agreement: A Fuller Understanding
A legal foundation for collaboration between the EU and the Organization of African, Caribbean, and Pacific States (OACPS) was established by the Samoa Agreement. Sustainable economic growth, migration, and climate change are just a few of the global concerns that it tackles by embracing democratic values, human rights, and the rule of law.
The Samoa Agreement seeks to encourage collaborative action among about two billion people across the globe, and it succeeds the 2000 Cotonou Agreement in this regard. Even though the EU negotiators had high hopes for certain parts of the agreement, it is nevertheless an important instrument for global collaboration and progress.
Controversy in Nigeria continues, demonstrating the need for clear communication in international agreements and the difficulty of avoiding misinformation. In order to promote social harmony and advancement in Nigeria, it is crucial to have proper information and awareness of these challenges, which the country is still struggling with.
