Homosexualist on the run for the fear of ritual cleansings

Since Nigeria passed a law criminalising same sex marriage and gay organisations in 2013, law enforcement agents have cracked down on people suspected of homosexuality. However, arrests are infrequent as homosexual people live in hiding. Gay people live in fear and cannot openly express their sexual orientation. They are not protected by any law so they face discrimination.

In the Northern part of Nigeria, there is a death penalty for people convicted of same-sex offences which in other states carry a 14-year jail term.

These are the kinds of punishment to that will be meted out against one woman called Damola Omotayo who has been on the run as a result of her involvement in homosexuality with her partner despite being married and blesses with kids.

Damola Omotayo, a mother of three who is married to one Oluwasogo Omotayo was arrested by members of the community with her lesbian partner Tope in her residence at No 22, Oju-oja street, Ota, Ogun state when they were caught by neighbour who saw them in the act and reported them to the elders of Oju Oja community in Sango Ota area. The incident happened on the 22nd of March, 2018.

According to reports, they were later handed over to the community head who passed a verdict on them to undergo tough and stringent ritual cleansing because what they have done is against the law of the community and the land at large. The community leader said they have desecrated the law of the land and they have to face the law by taking them to a shrine for ritual rites.

After every other things had been put in place for the ritual rites, while waiting for the guards to bring Damola and Tope, one of the guards rushed down to the shrine to break the news that Damola had fled and only Tope was left in the hut. The community head ordered for her search but all efforts to bring back her proved abortive.

As at the time of filing this report, the community leaders are still in shock as to who and how Damola was rescued. Efforts are still on to bring her back to appease the gods of the land. Her family has been contacted to know her whereabouts but no one could point out where she is, not even the police authority.

Many married women take to frolicking with other women in Nigeria and this trend it becoming worrisome to government authorities. To the ladies who engages in this abomination, some of them are of the belief that a lesbian partner hardly hits her lover, unlike some men who are seen to be maltreating their spouse.

Homosexual acts are punishable in Nigeria with 14 years in jail, while gay marriage and displays of same-sex affection are also also punishable by the government.