Nigeria is sold to debt, incompetence and corruption. President Buhari left Nigeria with a total debt burden of about N77 trillion, and this government, within a period of one year, incompetently is superintending over a debt of about N110 trillion, an increase of almost a whopping N40 trillion. I doubt whether the entire revenue of Nigeria will be able to service our debt. Yet there’s nothing to show for it, and yet the government is still borrowing. The oil subsidy was removed to give the government more revenue to provide amenities for the people, yet it is still borrowing. Electricity tariff was increased to provide light to the people, yet we are in darkness, and yet it is still borrowing. Having borrowed from almost every known legitimate organisation around the world, this government is now ill-advisedly and dangerously moving into territories of which their laws, culture and lifestyle are at variance with ours.
SAMOA agreement is an agreement or treaty signed by the European Union (EU) and the Organisation of African, Caribbean, and Pacific States (OACPS), on 15 November 2023. The partnership agreement will serve as the new overarching legal framework for the relations between the EU and its Member States, of the one part, and the Members of the OACPS, of the other part. seeking to generate mutually beneficial outcomes on common and intersecting interests and in accordance with their shared values. It’s nicknamed Samoa Agreement because the latest content was signed in the small island country in central South Pacific Ocean called Samoa Islands.
Note that every party to the agreement is understood to commit itself to the implementation of all the articles of the treaty. Article 9(2) is very clear that “The Parties shall commit to the promotion of universal respect for, and observance of, human rights and fundamental freedoms for all, without discrimination based on any ground including sex, ethnic or social origin, religion or belief, political or any other opinion, disability, age, or other status…” Please mark that trap “other status”. This “other status” simply implies people with different sexual orientation and any other status that can emerge in the future. In this modern world, the definition and perception of human rights vary from place to place, from country to country, and whatever is the perception of any member state of the treaty about the meaning of human rights, all the member states must comply with them and implement them. Article 9(1) states it better when it provides that “The Parties, recognising that human rights are universal, indivisible, interdependent and interrelated, shall promote, protect and fulfil all human rights …”. Please observe the phrase “all human rights”.
In Nigeria today, it’s not all human rights, as perceived from all countries around the world, that are perceived enforceable because of our laws, culture and religion. The recognised human rights in Nigeria are enshrined in Chapter 4 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (CFRN) 1999 as amended. In section 42 that deals with freedom from discrimination, the Constitution expressly and conclusively stated the categories of status it wants not discriminated against. According to Section 42 (1) of the CFRN “A citizen of Nigeria of a particular community, ethnic group, place of origin, sex, religion or political opinion shall not, by reason only that he is such a person” be discriminated against. There’s nothing like “other status” in Nigeria’s Constitution. That singular provision “other status”, which accommodates whatever every other country defines as human right has disqualified Nigeria from ever becoming a member of the organisation because it contradicts our Constitution.
To be clearer, and to the doubters that the treaty did talk about homosexuality, Article 36(2) of the treaty stipulates that “The Parties commit to the full and effective implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action and the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development and the outcomes of their review conferences and commit to sexual and reproductive health and rights, in that context”. Please, mark the statement “commit to sexual and reproductive health and rights”. These rights cover the rights to abortion, masturbation, homosexuality, same sex marriage, right of a wife to deny her husband sex, and the husband could be prosecuted for rape if he engages in sex with wife “without her consent”, equality in marriage, etc. It involves the idea of a sexual orientation autonomy in which everyone is entitled to make decisions about one’s own body, sexuality, and reproductive health, free from coercion and discrimination. In other words choose any gender one likes and choose any gender for sex.
Specifically, sexual rights are human rights that relate to sexuality, sexual health, and well-being. They include: right to privacy and autonomy in sexual matters; right to equality and non-discrimination regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity; right to comprehensive and accurate information about sexuality and sexual health; right to access safe and affordable sexual healthcare services; right to pleasure and enjoyment of one’s own body; right to freedom from coercion, violence, and discrimination in sexual relations; right to make decisions about one’s own body, sexuality, and reproductive health; right to express one’s own sexuality and gender identity; etc.
Recall that the treaty compels every state party to enforce all human rights on the basis of shared values. Article 96 revealed the territorial application of the treaty when it stated that “This Agreement shall apply, on the one hand, to the territories in which the Treaty on European Union and the Treaty on the functioning of the European Union apply and under the conditions laid down in those Treaties, and, on the other hand, to the territories of the OACPS Members.” What is the European Union (EU) understanding of sexual rights and sexual orientation? The EU is committed to promoting and protecting the rights of all individuals, including those related to sexual orientation. The EU has adopted various directives and policies aimed at combating discrimination based on sexual orientation and promoting equality for LGBTQ+ individuals. Additionally, the EU has supported initiatives to raise awareness about LGBTQ+ rights and to ensure that member states comply with EU laws and standards in this area.
Having read all this, how can anyone reach the conclusion that the treaty does not set out to promote same sex relationships. Those who hold such views are either intellectually lazy or intellectually fraudulent. Recall that the World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations (UN), and other international organizations have recognized sexual rights as an essential aspect of human rights and have called for their promotion and protection. This was the same position that Nigeria found itself when some of those countries wanted to give aids to Nigeria and linked it with the responsibility of receiver states to engage in the promotion and protection of sexual rights. David Mark, the Senate President then, in President Goodluck Jonathan’s regime, simply told them to go to hell with their aids. President Jonathan did not stop at that, he brought an executive bill that criminalised same sex relationships. It was unanimously passed by the National Assembly. Section 5(3) of the Same Sex Marriage Prohibition Act 2013 provides that “A person or group of persons who administers, witnesses, abets or aids the solemnization of a same sex marriage or civil union, or supports the registration, operation and sustenance of gay clubs, societies, organisations, processions or meetings in Nigeria commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a term of 10 years imprisonment.”
The truth is that all the people that are promoting the Samoa agreement in Nigeria are guilty of promoting, aiding, and abetting same sex unions and should actually be prosecuted. The House of Representatives is actually very correct in roundly rejecting and condemning the promoters of this unlawful and illegal agreement that offends our culture, religion, laws and morality. The Senate should join the House of Representatives in condemning and throwing out this agreement with any money associated with it. The National Assembly has advised Nigerians to research and educate Nigerians the more on the matter. As a student of International Law which embodies International Human Rights, these are my findings.
Unfortunately, this profligate government, who loves its appetite more than the country, and which has borrowed itself into the bondage of debt, will likely lead Nigeria into any organisation, provided the organisation will give it money. This agreement has also revealed the quality of the advisers that surround this President. It’s frightening that the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) said that it was part of the team that supported such agreement. The association should go back to the treaty again and refresh its memory and come out with its findings.
It’s disheartening that some popular media stations and broadcasters are boasting that there’s no connection of this agreement with homosexuality and same sex marriage. They should simply sit down and learn more. For now, we are not endangered, because section 12 of the CFRN as amended requires every treaty to be enacted into law by the National Assembly before it assumes the force of law. The National Assembly should therefore reject this bill and reprimand the executive for trying to sell Nigeria because of money. Every Nigerian should henceforth watch this government with keen interest and observation to thwart any attempt it has to lead Nigeria into bondage, remembering that God said that a borrower is a servant (slave) to the lender, and in our native parlance, he who pays the piper dictates the tune. If we accept their money, we cannot reject their values. If we rejected it before, we can reject it again for our values, laws, morality, religion, culture, and indeed, our God.