Man Wanted for Bisexuality Escapes

Xavier Ndoyomong

Olowoosi Oluwatosin, a 27 year old Lagos resident, residing in Oko-Afo Area of the Badagry Local Government Area of the State was on January 22, 2020 alleged of having same sex with another young man and were caught in a building not too far from his residence and was mercilessly beaten, wounded and gasping for breath by an angry mob, who were about to lynch him before he managed to escape when Policemen arrived the scene to whisk him away.

Preliminary investigations by DAILY INDEPENDENT with some residents of the area revealed that the young man may have being a victim of circumstances as he was said to have arrived the community some few days back for the burial of his uncle, Chief Gbadebo Olowoosi, the Community leader.

You will recall that same-sex activity is illegal in Nigeria, where homosexuality and lesbianism are criminalised. Some States in Northern Nigeria have adopted Sharia law, including; Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Niger, Sokoto, Yobe and Zamfara, with recommended punishments for same-sex activity, such as execution by stoning, caning and imprisonment.

A friend of Oluwatosin contacted who pleaded annonimity, said he was able to contact him some weeks after the incident and recalled what Oluwatosin discussed with him,  "Oluwatosin confessed that it was true that he loves having canal knowledge with both the male and female gender, which he learned in Abuja and still practices it, but he got into trouble that day when he tried to get cajole someone in the community into doing it with him, it's just that he loves having sexual activities with his male partners.”

Oluwatosin also narrated his ordeal with his family after they discovered that he was engaged in what they tagged as an abomination by having sexual intercourse with both women and men.

He said, “Oluwatosin had managed to escape after the incidence not only from the attackers but also from  his home town people whom he suspected are going to hand him over to the Police or the mob for jungle justice to be meted on him to face his business in Abuja, but, confessed he's still having sexual intercourse with his male partner, but that the guy lost his life 3'days ago."

The source also said, Oluwatosin believed that the death of his partner was caused by a spiritual attack from his family and home people, revealing that Oluwatosin's next plans is to relocate from Nigeria to a place where bisexuality is accepted with better economic prospect than Nigeria.

"Oluwatosin further told me that according to the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association (ILGA), protects the rights of people leaving with such nature and since he cannot be protected by the law of his country and the humiliation is on the high side, he would prefer to leave for where his interest can be protected, saying that

Sexual minorities in Nigeria are faced with discrimination  in regards to employment, discrimination in accessing housing and most time evicted based on their bisexual orientation because it is their beliefs that two people of the same sex cannot live together openly, and would be denied renting a home together.”

Oluwatosin's friend ended with a quote by Elaina Patton about a bisexual boxer which he said was sent by him, saying;  ‘I killed a man and the world forgave me, but I loved a man and the world wanted to kill me.’ That blew me away.”