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Nigerian gay
Christian leader gets death threats
23 Jan 2007- Nigeria-The
argument over sexuality within the 77-million strong AnglicanCommunion
has been thrown into sharp perspective this month (January 2007), when
it was revealed that the leader of a group of lesbian and gay Christians
in Nigeria has received the latest in a series of death threats.
Nigeria’s Anglican leader, the Most Rev Peter Akinola, is the leader of
opposing an affirmative position on homosexuality, and his Church has
also been accused of colluding in a new Nigerian law which criminalizes
same-sex affection and association. Critics say it creates a climate of
fear and oppression.
It is this situation which adds additional poignancy to reports that
Davis Mac-Iyalla, director of Changing Attitude Nigeria, was delivered a
hand-written letter to his home on 9 January 2007.
The note concludes with the threat to bathe Davis Mac-Iyalla with acid
unless he repents and describes itself as “a final warning”. Mr Mac-Iyalla
has already received four email threats, apparently from the same
source, says Changing Attitude UK.
In the past there have also been attempts to smear Mr Mac-Iyalla with
allegations of financial and other improprieties.
The letter was apparently delivered during the night. It notes that Mr
Mac-Iyalla has not “paid heed” to the numerous warnings and threats
already issued. The writer or writers have decided it is time to carry
on with their action to redeem the image of African Christian and moral
values because Mr Mac-Iyalla’s very existence poses great danger to the
youth of the Nigerian Church. His total repentance and confession is
demanded.
An email received before Christmas 2006 warned Mr Mac-Iyalla the he
would be used as a scapegoat to deter and teach others a bitter lesson
unless they separate themselves from such “evil people” (meaning
homosexual persons).
The letter is anonymous, but ends with the title ‘Save Africa against
same sex relationship’. The emails were identified as coming from
someone named Femi Afolabi, at a Yahoo! Email address.
Changing Attitude stresses that there is no evidence
that the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) is directly involved in
the threats to Mr Mac-Iyalla’s life. But it says that whoever the
individual or individuals are, they have the resources to investigate
the location of Mr Mac-Iyalla (which has never been made public) and
have travelled to deliver the letter and by implication, to be
physically present and able to carry out their threat.
In a news release the organization says: “They [those making the
threats] see themselves as emissaries expressing the views of the Church
and carrying out action appropriate to a gay member of the Anglican
Church of Nigeria.”
Davis Mac-Iyalla, director of Changing Attitude Nigeria, himself said:
“On reading the letter, I felt immediately that my life was in great
danger and the person threatening me knows who I am and where I can be
found. I have felt very unsafe since the emails started to arrive, and
now fear for my life.”
He continued: “I have been called by God to lead this work of starting
to change the attitude of my church, of which I am a faithful member,
and of lesbian and gay Anglicans in Nigeria. We will not be intimidated
by these threats. I continue to put all my faith in God who has called
me and protects me every day. I am committed to the listening process
and helping our supporters have confidence to tell their story to the
church.”
Continued Mac-Iyalla: “The church wants to threaten and bully me so that
there will never be any gay Nigerian Christian who is prepared to speak
out. They may dream that one day I will stand next to Archbishop Akinola
and publicly repent of being a sinner. I thought we lesbian and gay
Anglicans [were] the weak minority in Nigeria. I wonder how it has come
to pass that the church leaders are now so worried that they want to
destroy me. I am not ready to remain silent under these threats and
intimidation. I may be weak and fearful of the threats but I grow
stronger as time passes and I want to keep moving on and developing the
work of CAN.”
The Rev Colin Coward, Director of Changing Attitude England, said: “We
are taking this death threat very seriously indeed. I am now even more
deeply concerned for Davis’s safety and security. I believe the threat
is real.”
He called on the Church in Nigeria to condemn the actions unequivocally.
Changing Attitude is an Anglican network working for “the day when the
Anglican Churches fully accept, welcome and offer equality of
opportunity to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people.” |
