The Nigerian federal government’s decision to sign the controversial Samoa Agreement has sparked outrage among clerics, rights activists, and Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in the country.
The agreement, allegedly containing clauses that compel underdeveloped and developing nations to support LGBTQ rights in exchange for financial aid, has become a subject of heated debate.
The Samoa Agreement, named after the Pacific Island, where it was signed on November 15, 2023, has been gaining traction despite opposition from several countries with strong Islamic and Christian values and culturally sensitive stances.
Information about Nigeria’s ratification of the deal became public on Monday, July 1, when the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Alhaji Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, confirmed the development at a reception organized by the European Union (EU) in Abuja.
However, when questioned on Wednesday, Bagudu’s media assistant, Bolaji Adebiyi, clarified that the documents signed by the federal government were strictly related to the economic development of Nigeria and did not mention LGBTQ or same-sex marriage issues. He insisted that the signed agreement pertained solely to a $150 billion trade component.
“The documents signed by the federal government, which the Minister of Budget referred to during the EU reception, were strictly for the economic development of Nigeria. Nowhere in the documents were LGBTQ or same-sex marriage mentioned even remotely.
It would be wrong for anyone to imply that Nigeria had accepted those tendencies,” Adebiyi stated emphatically.
Kamarudeen Ogundele, the spokesman for the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Olasunkanmi Fagbemi SAN, indicated that further findings would be made regarding the recent controversies surrounding the Samoa Agreement.
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Adding to the controversy, Lagos State-based lawyer and Chairman of the Human and Constitutional Rights Committee of the African Bar Association (AfBA), Sonnie Ekwowusi, raised an alarm about the development in an article on Wednesday.
The Samoa Agreement’s contentious clauses have stirred significant backlash in Nigeria, a nation where LGBTQ rights remain a highly sensitive and polarizing issue.
The federal government’s involvement in the agreement has ignited discussions and protests, with many calling for a thorough review and clarification of the terms and implications of the deal.
As the debate continues, the Nigerian government faces the challenge of balancing international economic interests with domestic cultural and moral values, ensuring transparency and clarity to its citizens about its international agreements and their potential impacts.
