[size=28pt]Gay Nigerian activist Bisi Alimi shares his compelling story [/size]


Today's Out Spotlight is a Nigerian-born civil rights activist, and was the first gay Nigerian man to be interviewed on national TV in Nigeria.

Bisi Alimi was born in Nigeria in 1975, grew up and went on to attend the University of Lagos (Nigeria) pursuing a degree in theater. While as a student in 2003, he was outed by the university's student newspaper during student government elections.

Homosexual activity is illegal in Nigeria, the conservative influences of the Muslim faith in the north and a large Christian presence in the south. It is punishable by death by stoning in all 12 states, or being sentenced up to 14 years of imprisonment. There is no legal protection against discrimination for LGBT Nigerians. Very few are out, and violence against those in the LGBT community is frequent. Legislation is pending to criminalize same-sex marriage throughout Nigeria.

Alimi was expelled from university in 2004, before he was able to receive his degree.

Later that year, he was selected to be the Nigerian face of homosexuality at the fourth National Conference on HIV/AIDS in Abuja. Also that year, he was brought onto Funmi Iyanda's New Dawn talk show on the Nigerian Television Authority and it was here that he publicly came out before the nation and asked for acceptance from the public.

Almost immediately, there were repercussions for both Alimi and the interviewer. Almini received both love letters and death threats, and lost his home and his job. The New Dawn talk show's Friday edition was canceled and further interviewees on the show were were screened by the NTA in a country where censorship against homosexuality is already tight.

Not deterred, in July 2005, Almini helped found the Independent Project for Equal Rights-Nigeria, serving as executive director of the organization's Nigerian LGBT Youth Group. He also worked as director of the Alliance Rights, Nigeria's youth programs.

In December 2007, he lost his partner to a chest infection, and which led to severe mental health issues dealing with his grief. His family and friends, came to his aide, supporting him and getting back on his feet and helping to take life one day at a time.

In 2008, Alimi was granted asylum by the United Kingdom, where he currently resides. He has become a spokesperson for African gay men in the UK working with several organizations in the LGTB community and help set up a project for newly arrived African gay immigrants. He was also elected a member of the IAS youth organizing member for the Mexico 2008 meeting and was a member of AMFAR review panel for the international grants for African MSM AIDS initiatives.

Almini also is a sexual health activist and works for Naz Project London which is provides sexual health and HIV prevention and support services to targeted Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) communities in London. "NPL aims to educate and empower communities to face up to the challenges of sexual health and the AIDS pandemic, and to mobilize the support networks that exist for people living with HIV/AIDS."

At this time he working on his master's degree in filmmaking with concentration on documentaries and is hoping to change views of Africans about homosexuality through movies and short films.



http://sdgln.com/news/2010/08/10/bisi-alimis-gay-nigerian-story

Why is it always the cute ones?

Well atleast EzeUche, chyz, sjeezy and bk/babe90 found a representative to fight for their rights.

^^^

@Topic :: I can tolerate lesbians but that of gays, No Way!!
Nigerian gays, damn

What is the cute thing about this guy abeg ? Pls he should remain in the UK and embrace their culture , he shouldn't even think of coming to Naija to talk that gay trash. If he does i ll be the no 1 person to cut his throat.

Rooneyboy:

What is the cute thing about this guy abeg ? Pls he should remain in the UK and embrace their culture , he shouldn't even think of coming to Naija to talk that gay trash. If he does i ll be the no 1 person to cut his throat.

Exactly . . . . .

Gay activist my aszzz!!!

Disgusting, Is he alright? The answer is obvious

Take a look at his face properly, he reminds me of someone recovering from imbecility. If his father was gay, will he ever be on this earth? The plane he will take to come back to Africa to promote gay rights will crash and only him and his gay group will die in the crash. Is not normal; GAYS ARE UNDER DEMONIC INFLUENCE!

Mbeki:

Take a look at his face properly, he reminds me of someone recovering from imbecility. If his father was gay, will he ever be on this earth? The plane he will take to come back to Africa to promote gay rights will crash and only him and his gay group will die in the crash. Is not normal; GAYS ARE UNDER DEMONIC INFLUENCE!

@bolded
dats what d son of a gun didn't get in2 his head

u no see as the guy face be?? homo.s3xuality don make am begin look like dog! see as him ears stand like police dog own!~ yeye!

GoldCircle:

u no see as the guy face be?? homo.s3xuality don make am begin look like dog! see as him ears stand like police dog own!~ yeye!

but some people like bk/babe have a hard on looking at d pix

Ileke-IdI:
The New Dawn talk show's Friday edition was canceled and further interviewees on the show were were screened by the NTA in a country where censorship against homosexuality is already tight.

Wasnt there enough evidence to arrest both him and iyanda.  How can you come to a national TV and admit being gay when it is a crime in the land.

They should please start enforcing these gay laws in naija before they spread their demonic acts all over the land and then have enough mouth to fight for their 'right'.

How weird! Let him just stay in his UK and be "gaying" the oyinbos

Nonsense!

Bisi Alimi again!!!!. . .

This guy no dey hear word. . .i remember those days I used to argue with him on sexuality issues. . .the guy needs prayers walai talai. . .

He fight me so tey he deleted me from his facebook page, .

Now I heared he is seeking assylum in UK and married/dating a man. . .

oshi oda. . .


#Javalove. . .unless otherwise stated. . .!

If themm born him papa well,make him enter lasgidi with him babe.

to hell wiff dis gay dude

Gay guys are only good for the producers of 'pampers'. I heard they can barely control their anus and nasty stuffs oozes from the orifice! What a pity?!

I think some people are absolutely mad, thats why i like muslims, they can never tolerate all these nonsenses, how der dat fool organizing forum for gay?

Ppppssssshhheewwwww    
I swear i will kill any gay arround me, infact, not my straight killing, but by poisoning because i know GOD will reward me for killing them silently  

I watched his interview with Funmi Iyanda on NTA and i still do not have a problem with him. A million and one NLers are worse than he is. If homosexuality is a sin;so also is fornication/adultery. If gays will go to hell,i guess fornicators/adulterers will join them. I'm straight but honestly,i don't have any problem with these people,sure they have a right to live their lives the way they want it, We all should cut them some slack please,

its so sad seeing our men into this kind of evil act,so so sad i can say, how can a man be fucking another man,could that be sweeter to the virgina God gave women,hell no,its simply an a demonic and abomination in all traits

I can c some potential gays even on this thread. . .

I can not understand why a reasonable and normal man will close his eyes to all the pretty ladies around only to turn to a fellow man for sexual satisfaction. This is really weird and i hope the guy will never come back to preach this devilish act to Nigerian men.

Damn,
I used to admire Fumni Iyanda's New dawn back in the days as a student.

Never knew she will be the one to promote a punishable offence in the country, a seasoned journalist that she is       Considering the number of youths that look up to her for mentorship, It's so disappointing.

I wish the police should go ahead and prosecute both of them!!!

Anyway, the young man should just stay back in UK and hope he changes his ways before he gets to point of no return.

Romans 1 vs 22-27

Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles,
Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts, even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones. In the same way, the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed indecent acts with other men, and received in themselves due penalty for their PERVERSION.

Repentance is the way to go, Mr Alimi and others still in hiding.

SMH what a pity

cecegorz:

Damn,
I used to admire Fumni Iyanda's New dawn back in the days as a student.

Never knew she will be the one to promote a punishable offence in the country, a seasoned journalist that she is       Considering the number of youths that look up to her for mentorship, It's so disappointing.

I wish the police should go ahead and prosecute both of them!!!

Anyway, the young man should just stay back in UK and hope he changes his ways before he gets to point of no return.

Romans 1 vs 22-27

Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles,
Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts, even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones. In the same way, the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed indecent acts with other men, and received in themselves due penalty for their PERVERSION.

Repentance is the way to go, Mr Alimi and others still in hiding.

Erm. . . .i do not get the enboldened part   In what way did she promote homosexuality  
By this same logic,we can conclude anytime any of our numerous pilfering political class gets interviewed by any journalist,such interviewer is "promoting" corruption?

matiltom:

I watched his interview with Funmi Iyanda on NTA and i still do not have a problem with him. A million and one NLers are worse than he is. If homosexuality is a sin;so also is fornication/adultery. If gays will go to hell,i guess fornicators/adulterers will join them. I'm straight but honestly,i don't have any problem with these people,sure they have a right to live their lives the way they want it, We all should cut them some slack please,

chei!!! where is this nincompoop from?  
make thunder destroy dat ur mouth wey u want use encourage sodomy for naija, am pretty sure u re gay anuofia!

Thought God was a fool creating man and woman Abi?
see your Mokey face like OGBANJE
no com turn our already corrupted nigeria into your nyash wey de carry anoda man's toto ooo
u no dey ashame of your self OLUDO
na wetin i bin de talk before be dis
if Oibo com our country them go steal our treasure go de develop dia country
if we Africans most especially Nigerians go their land na to go carry bad bad habit and corruption de com.
if u wan lick man nyash go back to where u com from MR. GAY MAN

seunmsg:

I can not understand why a reasonable and normal man will close his eyes to all the pretty ladies around only to turn to a fellow man for sexual satisfaction. This is really weird and i hope the guy will never come back to preach this devilish act to Nigerian men.

too bad. . .i can't imagine myself running after boys. .i just hope nigeria ladies would campaign  prolly go n.a.k.e.d against this evil guy cuz many of them would be stranded if we finally turn gay.