Here It Is: Nigeria’s Proposal To Criminalize Same-Sex Marriage:

Jim Burroway

September 29th, 2011

Nigeria's SB 05, a bill which would criminalize same-sex marriage. (Click to download PDF: 48KB/2 pages)

A BTB reader found a copy of Nigeria’s latest proposal to not just ban same-sex marriage (it’s already illegal in Nigeria), but to impose criminal penalties on anyone who enters into a same-sex marriage — as well as for anyone who “witnesses, abets and aids the solemnization of a same gender marriage contract.” The penalty for entering into a same-sex marriage under the proposed measure would be three years’ imprisonment. The penalty for witnessing/aiding/abeting a marriage would bring five years imprisonment or a fine of ₦2,000 (2,000 naria, or US$13 in a country where the average annual income is US$1,200). If a group of persons witness/aid/abet a marriage, the fine is ₦50,000. It’s unclear whether two people at a wedding would be considered two individuals or a group. The bill also does not define what constitutes witnessing, abetting or aiding in the solemnization of a marriage.

This bill is a considerably scaled down from an earlier bill that was being considered as late as 2009. The earlier proposal, which was actually introduced in 2006, included the same penalties that this bill provides for entering into a marriage or for witnessing/aiding/abeting a marriage. But the 2006 bill went much further by prohibiting the formation of any gay clubs, societies or advocacy groups, and anyone working in organizations which advocate for gay rights would have been subject to five years imprisonment. The same penalty also applied for anyone who was involved with the “publicity and public show of same sex amorous relationship directly or indirectly in public and in private.” Following international condemnation from international human rights advocates, Nigeria’s National Assembly quietly allowed the bill to lapse upon the change of government earlier this year.

Homosexuality is already criminalized in Nigeria, with a penalty of fourteen years’ imprisonment upon conviction. In areas where Sharia Law are in effect, the penalty is death.

The newest bill was posted at the official web site of the Nigerian Senate and is available here (PDF: 48KB/2 pages) It is dated July 25, 2011, nearly two weeks after the bill reportedly received its first reading in the Senate.  The original 2006 proposal is available here (PDF: 144KB/3 pages).

Here is the full text of the 2011 bill:

[SB 05]

A BILL

FOR

An Act To Prohibit Marriage Between Persons Of Same Gender, Solemnization Of Same And For Other Matters Related Therewith

Sponsors:

Senator Domingo Obende
Senator Ehigie Edobor Uzamere
Senator Adegbenga Seflu Kaka
Senator Borrofice Robert A.
Senator Pius Ewherido
Senator Yusuf Musa Nagogo
Senator Mohammed Magoro
Senator Emmanuel Paulker
Senator George Sekibo
Senator Eyinnaya Abarbe
Senator Nenadi E. Usman
Senator Helen Esuene
Senator Babafemi Oiudu
Senator Owremi Tinubu
Senator Owgbenga Ashafa
Senator Obadara Owgbenga
Senator Joshua Dariye
Senator Saleh Mohammed Sani
Senator Hope Uzodinma
Senator Ayogu Eze
Senator Smart Adeyemi
Senator Ahmad Lawan
Senator Igwe Paulinus Nwagu
Senator Mohammed D. Goje
Senator Barnabas Gemade
Senator Boluwaji Kunlere

BE IT ENACTED by the National Assembly of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as follows:

1.–(1) Marriage Contract entered between persons of same Gender is hereby prohibited in Nigeria.

(2) Marriages Contract entered between persons of same gender are invalid and shall not be recognized as entitled to the benefits of a valid marriage.

(3) Marriage Contract entered between persons of same gender by virtue a certificate issued by a foreign country shall be void in Nigeria, and any benefits accruing there from by virtue of the certificate shall not be enforced by any court of law in Nigeria.

2.–(1) Marriage entered between persons of same Gender shall not be solemnized in any place of worship either Church or Mosque in Nigeria.

(2) No marriage certificate issued to parties of same sex marriage in Nigeria.

3. Only marriage contracted between a man and a woman either under Islamic Law, Customary Law and Marriage Act is recognized as valid in Nigeria.

4.–(1) Persons that entered into a same gender marriage contract commit an offence and are jointly liable on conviction to a term of 3 years imprisonment each.

(2) Any persons or group of persons that witnesses, abet and aids the solemnization of a same gender marriage contract commits an offence and liable on conviction to —

(a) if an individual to a term of 5 years imprisonment or a group of persons to a fine of ₦2,000 or both,

(b) if a group of persons to a fine of ₦50,000 only.

5. The High Court of a State shall have jurisdiction to entertain matter arising from the breach of the provisions of this Bill.

6. In this Bill, unless the context otherwise requires–

“Marriage” here relates to a legal union entered between persons of opposite sex in accordance with the Marriage Act, Islamic and Customary Laws.

“High Court” to include High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

“Same Gender Marriage” means the coming together of persons of the same sex with the purpose of leaving together as husband and wife or for other purposes of same sexual relationship.

7. This Bill may be cited as Same Gender Marriage (Prohibition) Bill, 2011.

Explanatory Note:

This Bill seeks to prohibit marriage between persons of same gender, and witnessing same, and provided appropriate solemnization of the marriage penalties thereof.

Terry

September 29th, 2011

No Federal aid for Nigeria. Bad Bigots, No Cookie!

Christopher

September 29th, 2011

Yet more proof of how Eurocentric religious proselytization has obliterated indigenous culture in Africa, North America, South America and the Caribbean.

The chickens are coming home to roost.

Lindoro Almaviva

September 29th, 2011

just so y’all know, a right to work petition from Ron paul is popping up as one of the ads.

I know you guys have no control of it before it shows, but maybe after…

BlackDog

September 29th, 2011

For the love of god, isn’t same sex marriage already illegal in Nigeria?

What’s with this fetish homophobes have for trying to make things illegaler when they’re already illegal?

It seems kinda redundant to me.

Charles

September 29th, 2011

I just got a letter from Nigeria. Someone needs help on getting some money out of an American bank account.

Jerry

September 29th, 2011

BlackDog, these people are conservatives. They are compelled to wear suspenders and belts. I kept having that question while reading this article.

Mykelb

September 30th, 2011

Another country that needs to be cut off from the Western worlds banks, grants, loans and subsidies. Ugh.

Tom in Lazybrook

September 30th, 2011

Good work in Africa and Jamaica.

Meanwhile, this type of hatred and violence against Gay people isn’t limited to non-White Countries.

Today, Serbia banned Gay people from protesting in their national capital (presumably indefinately), giving into threats of violence by extremists. There will likely be no prosecutions of anti-Gay extremists as a result of these threats. The extremists will be allowed to profit (in the form of cancelling the freedom of protest for Gay Serbians)from the violence without consequence. The Serbian police have been coordinating with anti-Gay groups such as Dveri Srbska (who, at least in the English language press, say they don’t support violence, but oppose freedom of protest, assembly, association, speech and petition for Gay Serbians). The person held criminally responsible (Mladsen Obradovic) for the violence last year (but remains out of prison on bail and somehow able to obtain a protest permit to lead protests of the same calibre that led to his criminal conviction last year) claims that he has support from Serbian Orthodox Priests for his (this year, non-violent protest), but it still shows a link between the Serbian Orthodox church and those that commit violence against Gay persons. Patriarch Irinij (the head of the Serbian Orthodox Church) has publically condemned violence against Gay people in the English language press (while demeaning Gay people in the most harsh way), but has taken no visible action to condemn Obradovic BY NAME or to discipline or even publically sanction those under his direct control that appear to be working with Obradovic in the name of Serbian Orthodoxy.
http://www.balkaninsight.com/en/article/gay-pride-under-question-mark-police-source-says.

As far a Russia goes, its an abuse a day, just about. gayrussia.eu can provide lots of evidence.

The Serbian Orthodox Church and the Russian Orthodox Church both exist in the United States and are eligible for tax deductions on their donations. I don’t know if any of those taxpayer subsidized donations go to the Serbian (in Serbia) or Russian Orthodox Churches (in Russia), but it would be an interesting line of questioning.

Great work in Africa guys. Keep it up. You guys do great work. You might want to take a look at Eastern Europe too.

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