Anti-gay law: End of road for gay members?

Few days ago, President Jonathan gave assent to the bill that criminalises same-sex relationships  in the country putting paid to all the hullabaloo about gay legal rights in Nigeria. The activities now attract 14 years in prison. The law also prescribed a ten-year jail term for membership or encouragement of gay clubs and groups. Hitherto, members express their belief in the open with pride.  To them, GAY means God Accepts You, God Adores You and God Affirms You; where DIVA means Divinely Inspired Victoriously Anointed.

Just as the National Assembly and indeed the President are receiving pats on the back from Nigerians  for tightening laws against homosexuality, there are condemnations by the United Nations’ Ban Ki-moon; U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird and British PM David Cameron. They consider the new law as an embarrassment to the European community. The United Nations Secretary-General, Ban Ki Moon in a statement released by his media aide opined that the development could fuel violence and risks obstructing an effective HIV/AIDS response in the country.

How  effective the law would be especially given the fact that other legislations on anti-graft and other vices have a way of being whittled down especially when it involves the big fish around the corridors of power leaves much to the imagination. A few Nigerians who spoke to Saturday Vanguard bared their minds on the development.

Ustaz AbdulWaheed Olowo, an Islamic/Arabic teacher in Ikorodu hailed the President and the National Assembly for doing Nigeria proud on the issue. According to him: “this is one of the decisions our leaders have made rightly. They should be hailed for taking such step to stamp out gay activities in the country. It is against man and God. Gay is one of the things Allah detest. It was evident in the way He dealt with the people of the past who practiced such thing. So, we should use everything we have to exterminate it. The law is a welcome development,” he said.

While reacting to the position of the United Nations Secretary General, Ban Ki Moon saying the development could spur violence, Ustaz Olowo said Nigeria is not like some of the European countries with a high level of immoralities. “There is a high level of immoralities going on in the world. Nigeria wants to take exception to that , we have our own problems but certainly 98 per cent of people do not want that act and we should avoid it.

“The act would not be of any help for the nation and the society. Marriage ordained by God is between man and woman and not between man and man,” he said.

Also, the Publicity Secretary of the Pan Yoruba cultural group, Afenifere, Yinka Odumakin, told Saturday Vanguard that it is a welcome development.

“We are deeply and culturally oriented people, we are not America where same sex marriage is generally accepted. Gay marriage is not allowed, it is not part of our tradition. It is a welcome development for the President to have signed such into law because there are certain things that we as Nigerians can consider as anti-culture. Anybody who feels his right is being infringed upon should go to the countries that encourage such act,” he said.

Although majority of Nigerians seem to be  in support of the new law, the  scanty minority believe it is inappropriate and unnecessary to jail people because of their sexual orientation. They hinged their claim on the fact that in our society where the law enforcement agents take advantage of every situation for their selfish interest, people could be blackmailed and railroaded into jail on the grounds of homosexuality which according to them is difficult to prove.

The convener of the Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders (CACOL), Comrade Dabo Adeniran was however different in his opinion. “Law is not an end to the act itself, but a means to stopping the act. It is just like leaving the leprosy and treating eczema. The truth is that there are so many other areas of immorality and corruption that have not been curbed. If they are trying to curb gay and lesbianism, what are they doing about adultery and fornication that is more dangerous to the society. It leads to unwanted pregnancy which brings about unwanted children and abandonment of children.

“If the government cannot outlaw fornication and adultery that is more dangerous to the society, then prohibiting same sex marriage is just a waste of time. The only thing that can be outlawed is the marriage while the act of same sex still persists because you are not going to get into the room with these couples. It is also difficult to prove a case of rape now because there must be evidence to substantiat the case.

“Also, it will give room for undue blackmailing tendencies. Our law enforcement agencies like the police could use that to harass and blackmail people unnecessarily, because in this part of the world, we have brothers, and friends who share same apartments and when you see them so close, you begin to suspect and blackmail them. With the new anti-gay law, freedom of association and movement of people would be curtailed because people would be afraid to stay even with their younger ones and their relatives in order to avoid suspicion that such thing is happening.”

Basically, it an unjust law that will not serve anybody any good. It a wrong decision for the National Assembly to have passed such worrisome law but unnecessary for the President to have assented it because it would have amounted to shear waste of time. At the end of the day, it is the poor that would suffer the consequencies of the implementation of such unjust law. Like the Chief Justice said sometime ago, it is the rich that gets bail while the poor gets jailed. Any unjust law that are passed are targeted at the poor and such a thing should be resisted by all,” he lamented.

 

INSPIRING: Meet Lagos Danfo Driver Who Lost Both of His Legs in a Road Accident, But Continues His Job

The story of a 32-year-old Pius Abayomi Abiodun is one which causes remorse, pity and at the same time could go for one of the ‘Wonders of Lagos’. The handsome well built light complexioned gentle man is one of the thousands of Commercial Bus Drivers, popularly called Danfo Drivers, in Lagos.

For a passenger boarding his bus for the first time, nothing suggests Pius has no legs. When a reporter boarded his bus 2 weeks ago at Town Planning junction towards Western Avenue in Lagos, he didn’t notice Pius had no legs to drive the Danfo. After about 10 minutes journey, a driver who rode a mini truck pulled up on the lane Pius drove and before the passengers could blink their eyes Pius increased his speed and got at par with the truck, looked towards the driver and said, “Iwo, ma deal pelu e (You, I will deal with you). You dey try me?” Despite words of caution from his conductor, who said “Leave am” severally Pius did the unimaginable as if he was instructed by the Road Safety men, he applied his breaks and forced the mini truck to a slower speed, one of the Road Safety men gesticulated to the truck driver to pull over for retinue check. Pius didn’t say a word but this reporter could read something like, “You drivers with legs, I will make you all to respect me by force!”.

A more careful look at Pius behind the wheels, the reporter was in for a shocker. Pius controlled the accelerator and brake pedals with his hands. He exhibited the mastery of his specially built Danfo which he operated without any qualms. The reporter and Pius exchanged phone numbers with a promise he would get in touch for an interview soon.

As nature would have it, Pius and the reporter met at the Town Planning Road Junction Bus Stop, where they first met. The reporter quickly hopped into the front passenger seat Pius had instructed his conductor to reserve for the reporter. It was a trip through Western Avenue to Nigeria Breweries Area to Orile Iganmu linking Coker (Ijeshatedo Area) and through Apapa-Oshodi Express Way to Oshodi Terminus and Down to Town Planning Road Junction. The trip lasted for 1 hour 20 minutes and a trip that also got Pius very sober because of a few of the questions took him back memory lane when he had both legs and functioned like every other Lagos Driver with two legs. On the day they agreed to meet as nature would have it they met at the same spot the reporter boarded his bus.

Pius who hails from Mowo, Badagry in Lagos was not born without legs. According to him, he was involved in a fatal accident.

“I was driving a Danfo bus on April 3, 2011, along Lagos Abeokuta Expressway by May Flower Hotel close Olorunsogo Bus Stop. Suddenly the bus developed a fault I felt I could fix. I went down from the bus to the rear where the engine compartment is. While trying to fix my Danfo, another driver was driving on a top speed hit me against the rear of my bus and that was all I knew. I was rushed to the National Orthopedic Hospital, Gbobi, Lagos. Two days after the accident, my two legs were amputated. I was at Igbobi for 4 months. The operation, medication and physiotherapy cost me all my savings. And I had to go to people seeking for financial assistant. In all it cost about 4 Million Naira to get me out of the hospital.”

Thereafter he was discharged and what could be least described as frustration set in for Pius who had never taken to begging to live.

He was in a dilemma as to how to care for his wife who was pregnant then and his daughter and other bills.

“I got so frustrated that I always thought of suicide as an option. Most times I am moody because I couldn’t imagine I no longer had legs to move around.”

Not giving up on his condition, Pius decided to go into Weight Lifting. This was after it had been confirmed to him he would need artificial limbs for both legs. The cost of two limbs, according to him, was 5 Million Naira.

“I didn’t give a second thought to begging as an option for survival”, Pius said in a louder tone.

He joined other physically challenged sportsmen at the National Stadium, Surulere Lagos. Even at that he wasn’t in his best state of mind. He kept telling his new found friends (since the old friends were nowhere to be found) that he used to be a commercial bus driver. One day at the National Stadium someone who felt moved by Pius’ attitude suggested he goes to The Mobility Aid and Appliances Research and Development Centre, Amuwo Odofin area, Lagos owned by millionaire, Cosmas Okoli who is also physically challenged.

“When I met Cosmas, he encouraged me and asked me what I could do. I told him I used to be a Danfo driver. He assured me, he would help me construct a bus I can drive with my hands.”

Pius had to also look for a car dealer that could give him a bus and he could pay on instalments. He succeeded in getting a dealer. Took the automatic Volkwagen Bus (Danfo) to Cosmas who fabricated some metals to the pedals, he simply called ‘LEGS’. A closer look at the device built by Cosmas which cost 50 Thousand Naira only shows the break and accelerator pedals are both controlled by a long rod underneath the steering.

The metal rod controls the break and accelerator pedals. To speed he pulls up the rod to his chest and to apply the break, he pushes the rod down. Pius has so mastered the use of his special device that most commuters who board his bus hardly notice the man behind the wheels has no legs.

Asked if he has ever had experience of passengers being scared on sighting him after they have boarded his bus, Pius chuckled said:

“A lot of passengers express their disbelieve. Though I had never had a situation of passengers getting scared of me. A lot of them watch me as I drive. Some pray for me while others are too stunned to talk until they get to their destinations.”

Pius revealed he does not go out for any social activities. He likes to be indoors whenever he is not on Lagos road trying to make ends meet. He likes to help his 2 kids Rachael aged 5 and Samson aged 2 with their home work from school.

Does Pius feel pains on any part of his body since he does everything with his hands?

“Yes, I feel pains like once a month on spot of both legs that I was amputated.” Obviously, as one may see in the photo above, he was amputated beyond the knell joints.

When does his day start?

“I leave my house at Mushin area around 9 a.m. every morning. I don’t stop work until 8 p.m. at night.”

So how does Pius who has no crutches around him inside the bus get into the bus daily?

Pointing at the rear of his car, he said “I use my wheel chair. I park my bus around 3 streets away from my house so once I park, the conductor helps me get the wheelchair down and I get on it.”

There are stories of bus conductors absconding with money made from daily trips. How does Pius who lost his mother 5 years ago guide against this?

He further revealed that he does not employ unknown conductors. “I employ those who live in my neighbourhood.” He replied without much attention as he tried to confirm if he has all the seats occupied in his bus at the popular Cele Bus Stop on Apapa Oshodi Express Road.

Pius doesn’t work on Sundays. He goes to church with his immediate family members. They all ride with him on Sundays from their Itire Road, Mushin abode to The Redeemed Evangelical Ministry (TREM), Kirikiri Road, Apapa, Lagos.

Pius gets his own share of harassment from Police man and officials of Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA). Sometimes he is left to go free when they realize he is physically challenged and sometimes he has to bribe to escape the wrath of the law. Like every Danfo driver, has a nick name. He is called Oni Mama which means the one has a mother. Before the accident that claimed his 2 legs, Pius had the bumper sticker with inscription “Oni Mama” on it. Since then he has been referred to as such among those who know him way back.

The reporter was curious enough to ask Pius if he still makes love to his wife. With a brighter smile, he nodded in the affirmative. What about girl friends?

“I don’t have girlfriends. I have no time to chase women about. I appreciate my wife, Sulia who is very obedient. She is a good woman,” he said.

About the time we go back to Oshodi Terminus, Pius who drove Danfo painted light blue with some level of discipline told the reporter he services it every 2 weeks and pays attention to the special device. He buys a spray regularly from Cosmas Okoli which he uses on the device.

Pius doesn’t want to continue as a Danfo driver, he wishes he gets enough money to start off some other businesses particularly auto parts sales once he finishes paying for the Danfo which he bought on hire purchase.