THE UK gay humanist charity, the Pink Triangle Trust, has expressed its shock and outrage over a recent attack on the home of the Nigerian humanist and human rights activist Leo Igwe.
Igwe’s father was brutally beaten in the attack, and subsequently had to have his right eye removed. This shocking incident is the most recent in a series of attacks which have
followed Igwe’s fearless human rights campaigns, including those in support of LGBT rights, and which the state authorities have done little or nothing to address.
Courageous Nigerian humanist Leo Igwe
PTT Secretary George Broadhead said in a statement issued at the weekend:
Mr Igwe, who is the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Humanist Movement, has demonstrated his staunch support for LGBT rights. In 2006 he made an impassioned appeal to members of the Nigerian National Assembly not to pass a Bill that would not only criminalise gay marriage but also impose a five-year jail sentence on anyone who has a gay relationship or anyone who aids or supports a gay marriage or relationship.
The Bill had the blessing of the Nigerian Anglican Church and its leader, Archbishop Peter Akinola, as well as the then Nigerian President, Olusegun Obasanjo, who declared that homosexual practice ‘is clearly unbiblical, unnatural and definitely un-African’.
Broadhead added:
In May this year Mr Igwe was presented with the Rainbow Humanist Award by Nordic Rainbow Humanists for his ‘courageous defence of LGBT rights and dignity in the face of ferocious attacks from homophobic Nigerian politicians, parliamentarians and religious leaders calling for the imprisonment of those having homosexual relations and those who dare to support such relations, and for reminding fellow countrymen and women in Nigeria of the need to safeguard the spirit of the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights and the need for reason, common sense, thoughtfulness, knowledge, love, tolerance, solidarity and empathy, instead of hate and homophobia’.
The presention took place at an event in London to mark the International Day Against Homophobia (IDAHO).
This latest brutal attack on Mr Igwe’s family and the grave injury to his father is shocking and outrageous and we are very concerned about Mr Igwe’s own safety.
Andy Armitage, who maintains the PTT’s blog, said:
These issues must be raised with the Nigerian authorities at the highest level. They should be kept on the front burner of international relations and human rights advocacy until the Nigerian authorities take appropriate actions. The Nigerian government must be made to understand that the international community is aware of the facts of this case. And that the world is outraged at the way they are handling it.
The PTT has sent a letter of protest to the Nigerian High Commissioner in the UK, Dr Dalhatu Sarki Tafida, and asked the European Parliament’s Intergroup on LGBT Rights to issue a public condemnation.
The Freethinker was founded in 1881 by GW Foote, an outspoken critic of religion. After the publication of 
August 15th, 2010 at 11:59 am
My father told me tales of when “natural justice” was dealt in our village before the police arrived to break it up.
Egalitarianism will arrive in Africa in a few generations. You can’t force them by law, there must first be a social shift. Anti-discrimination laws will follow later when the climate permits.
We can look down our noses at the misfortune of Igwe’s family as this sort of thing happened in our very recent past.
August 15th, 2010 at 12:31 pm
“We can look down our noses at the misfortune of Igwe’s family as this sort of thing happened in our very recent past.”
Doesn’t read right does it?
Correction here:
“We can look down our noses at the misfortune of Igwe’s family BUT this sort of thing happened in our very recent past.”
I hope that’s enough to discourage the pitchfork-wielding mob….
August 15th, 2010 at 3:28 pm
Should that read “We can’t look down our noses”, Broadsword?
Your reference to a “social shift” is interesting as we have had one here but as the previous two posts indicate, there are a few people who are failing to keep up.
August 15th, 2010 at 6:18 pm
Spot-on Stony.
August 16th, 2010 at 8:21 am
I know persecution of (ir)religious minorities is in many countries’ recent past; too bad others can’t or won’t learn from it to avoid making the mistakes others made. So far, nothing good ever came out of it, all thanks to religion.
August 16th, 2010 at 2:52 pm
Har- Isn’t it obvious? The Other Guys (TM) clearly just didn’t do it right, or most importantly for the “right reasons.” Therefore, the new ones can still maim, torture, kill, rape, and pillage to their hearts content as long as they pray to the right sky-fairy.
Did I say maim, torture, kill, rape, and pillage? I meant take charge.
/sarcasm