Editor's Note: Adaobi Tricia Nwaubani is a
Nigerian novelist, humorist, essayist and
journalist. The views expressed in this
commentary are solely those of the author.

(CNN)— Late in 2014 when my friend, Zachary,
invited me to his wedding taking place in The
Berkshires this September, I was less concerned
about having to travel all the way from Abuja to
Massachusetts. Zachary is gay. "What if
lightning comes and strikes the building?" I
asked. He replied that there had so far been
under 100,000 gay marriages in the U.S-- and
no bolts. "Of course, my partner and I could be
the last straw," he added.

That exchange may have been facetious, but
many Nigerians are genuinely terrified of gay
marriage. And they are distraught over the U.S.
Supreme Court's recent decision to legalize gay
marriage in America.

They express sadness and pity for what is
supposedly God's Own Country. They predict
America's inevitable decline. But the emotion
most potent in their words is fear. The kind you
might expect from news of an impending
tsunami. Many Nigerians appear terrified that,
having finally won the victory on home soil,
America will now set its sights on imposing
similar legislature in countries like Nigeria. "We
must resist this wave," I have heard people say.

Rumors of America's plan of action have
already started making the rounds. Over the
past few days, a number of articles in local
newspapers have revealed what some Nigerians
believe to be the secret agenda behind
President Obama's invitation to Nigeria's new
president, Muhammadu Buhari. Allegedly, the
meeting, scheduled to take place in the White
House on July 20, is aimed at persuading
President Buhari to repeal Nigeria's infamous
Same Sex Prohibition Law signed by the
previous Goodluck Jonathan administration.
"Beware of Obama's Invitation," read a headline
in one of Nigeria's dailies.

A June 2015 survey conducted by Nigeria's NOI
Polls (which works in collaboration with Gallup)
shows that 90% of Nigerians believe their
country would be a better place without
homosexuals. In addition, 81% do not agree that
gay people should have the same rights as other
Nigerians. Only 30% of Nigerians were shown to
believe that gay people deserved equal access
to public services such as healthcare, housing
and education.

Despite these hair-raising data, I would be
surprised if the anti-gay bill were the only
reason why President Obama has extended this
warm invitation to Nigeria's president, what with
issues like Boko Haram currently siphoning
global attention. But if indeed he has the
welfare of gay Nigerians in mind, President
Obama must proceed with caution.

Careful conduct
At the October 2011 Commonwealth Heads of
Government meeting in Perth, Australia, British
Prime Minister David Cameron told African
leaders that if they resisted homosexuality in
their countries, they risked losing aid money
from the United Kingdom. Those words
registered quite highly on the scale of African
indignation. From Ghana to Zimbabwe to
Uganda, commentators, columnists and
government officials encouraged Cameron to
zoom off to hell with his aid.

Who is Muhammadu Buhari?
Nigeria, the giant of Africa, went beyond mere
sound and fury. Within weeks, the country's
Senate swept aside other pressing national
concerns and called for a 14-year prison
sentence for anyone convicted of homosexuality
-- an issue that had previously not featured on
the national agenda. In December 2013, then
president Jonathan signed the anti-gay bill,
which illegalized public displays of affection
between gay couples, and banned organizations
that promote gay rights. NOI Polls showed that
92% of Nigerians were at the time in favor of
the new law.

Cameron's bid to advance gay rights clearly
backfired. And not just because homophobic
sentiments are especially intense in Africa,
where same-sex relationships are illegal in the
vast majority of the countries on the continent.
The Prime Minister's controlling and imperialistic choice of words inspired the need to reassure any doubters of their countries' absolute autonomy from Britain. Choosing the exact opposite of what pressured views stipulate is sometimes a way to re-establish your freedom to conduct your own affairs.
If the topic of gay rights arises in his conversation with President Buhari, President Obama must remember that he is the helmsman of America, not of Nigeria. He must realize that "We must not allow these 'white people' tell us what to do" is increasingly becoming a valid reason for Africans to ignore both
unconstructive and beneficial counsel on various
issues.

The legalization of gay marriage in America has
led Nigerians to build up a fresh readiness to
resist anything homosexual. The anti-gay
swords have been unsheathed. How carefully
President Obama and other activists in America
conduct themselves when advocating on behalf
of the gay people in countries like Nigeria will
go a long way in either ameliorating or
worsening the welfare of those they seek to
help.

source: www.edition.cnn.com/2015/07/06/opinions/nigeria-america-gay-marriage/index.html?sr=cnnifb

gayism is not our thing simple...

Gays are simply not liked in Africa.

We cannot stoop so low as to permit sex with d same gender

From the way I see it, same sex marriage will eventually be legalised in Nigeria, with the way the Nigerian economy is falling so freely. The more we continue to depend on these foreign superpowers like US & UK, the less independence we have to run our own affairs. See what happened just a few months ago - the Nigerian economy almost came to a stand still just because the US govt refused to buy our oil.
So for those of us saying Buhari should ignore Obama's seductive moves, we should also realise that until a man can take care of his own family without foreign aid, he's not truly independent. Unease lies the head that wears the crown...