During January of this year Nigeria's President Jonathan Goodluck signed into law a nationwide ban of gay marriage. The law provides a 14 year jail sentence for anyone entering into an homosexual marriage or same sex civil union. The law also gives a punishment of up to 10 years to anyone who operates, registers, or participates in any gay clubs, associations, organizations, or who directly or indirectly makes public a same sex relationship. Any same sex marriages recognized as legal in any other country would be considered unlawful in Nigeria. Countries like the United States, Canada, and Britain led by leaders such as US Secretary of State John Kerry and Canada's Foreign Affair Minister John Baird have spoken out against Nigeria's leader calling the law an act of discrimination, a violation against one's civil rights. Jonathan Goodluck along with his countrymen stood up to the western nation giants by not changing their stance against homosexuality and keeping true to God as well as their biblical and Islamic beliefs.
But sometimes one cannot help but wonder though, how long Nigeria can stand. How long can countries like Nigeria, Gambia, Senegal, and Uganda amongst other nations stand against dominating countries who hold an entirely different view in regards to sin and morality? Where does the buck stop? The pro-gay groups don't seem like they are interested at times in holding back. The thought about each country's sovereignty, especially third world countries, appears to be dipping.The African countries say they don't want the western countries telling them how they are to run their nation. They view the gay rights groups demands that they change their laws and views on homosexuality as an hostile infringement on their own civil rights.
Even though very minimal news of the events involving Nigeria's right to define marriage has been spoken off in recent months, especially when one speaks of the big five television news media - NBC, CBS, ABC, CNN, Fox news - the issue is still burning hot between the western and African countries, Christians and pro - gay groups, people with ethnic African roots living within the western world and their next door neighbors, or even interested onlookers. And don't forget the powerful Muslim sects located in the northern region of the Nigeria who though hostile towards each other share similar views of homosexuality. The media does not make much mention of it but the Islam religion does not allow for homosexuality. The Islamic people will make great effort to not allow foreign countries to make them accept gay marriage. The issue is still burning hot with the potential to explode at any point with any remark from a nation's leader for or against Jonathan Goodluck's gay marriage ban, or any further decision made by Jonathan Goodluck regarding this matter. This is an unsettled dispute still existing between these nations with a likely round 2 to occur at anytime.
While looking at the issue one sees the importance for African countries like Nigeria to stand for their rights to create their own laws and decide what is and what is not right for their country. Nigeria views homosexuality as a sin and wants no part of it. People of Nigeria don't see the behavior as a human rights issue. Instead they see it as a perverted behavior and way of life that is not only ungodly but will prove to be destructive to their society while uprooting their families. Gay rights advocates want to force Nigeria to accept gay marriage regardless of the voice and opinions of the country's leaders and people, thereby disrespecting their opinion and their right to run and rule their own country. Here is a danger that many in America and the western part of the world don't seem to understand is the way that the pro-gay advocates are attempting to strip away the rights of countries, companies, schools, churches, and individuals to follow their Bible and obey God. The Bible states that homosexuality is a sin. By disregarding this important statement of the Bible Christians and nations would be forced to sin against God by uplifting a behavior God sees as an abomination. God's plan for the family would be ignored, instead being ruled and created by pro-gay rights groups and people who have no respect for God or His Word.
Of course this is a cause worth fighting for and Nigeria will very likely keep up a good fight to not go along with certain leaders' standards of not taking God's Word seriously. Hopefully Nigeria will always continue to fight for its independence and right to define marriage as God's definition of matrimony. Hopefully the other mentioned African nations as well as much of the rest of Africa, though less in wealth and riches many of them are, will still fight for their independence to rule their own country and obey God rather than follow heavily opinionated social activist groups. This fight for man, woman, company, church or nation to worship and obey God may likely be the true fight for civil rights in the very near future.
