THE NEW REGIME OF HATE SPEECH LAW APPROACH TO THE PROMOTION OF SAME SEX RELATIONSHIP IN THE WEST: ANY DILLEMA FOR THE NIGERIAN STATE?
Loading...
Date
2020-08-11
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
University of Ifeo, Ile Ife
Abstract
In many countries in the West, same Sex relationship is legally allowed and publicly
promoted.Contrariwise, the practice is outlawed in the majority of African nations and in
Muslim countries. Attempts of the West to decry the criminalization of the practice in those
African and Muslim counties as a human rights violation has failed. The concept of
marriage has been historically understood and confined as a legal union between a male
and a female, becoming husband and wife. Thus, a union of same-sex couples is precluded.
Consequently, the West has adopted the Hate Speech legal tool to categorise anti-same sex
speeches as Hate Speech such as speech against homosexuality, lesbianism,bisexuality
and gay practice. This paper seeks to criticise the western ideology on proclamation of the
religions preachers against same sex marriage as hate speech and Nigeria untouchable
stand as an independent state against homosexuality, lesbianism, bisexuality and gay practice. In 2014, Nigeria enacted the Same Sex Marriage (Prohibition) Act. By This Act,a
marriage between same sex couples and matters connected to it became a crime
throughout the federation. The prohibition has received applauses within the country from
religious, cultural and moral quarters. However, it has been greeted with condemnation
from some international communities as violation of human rights principles subscribed to by Nigeria law. Incidentally, Nigeria has also launched a campaign against Hate Speech.
Thus, it remains intriguing whether Nigeria has not found itself in a state of dilemma:outlawing same sex relationship and exploring the theory of Hate Crime/Speech Law to
curb the menace of Hate Speech. The paper adopts analytical research method ie. to analyse the thread of same sex marriage in the western world and Nigeria stand against
same. shows that there are serious and continuous spread of homosexuality, lesbianism,
bisexuality and gay practice among the west and their condemnation thereon. This paper
suggest that the Nigeria security agencies need to be more vigilant even after the
enactment of the law against same sex marriage should in case any person involve in any
of the practices, impose maximum punishment to serve as deterrent to others and call for continuous and unrelenting efforts among the religions preachers against such practices.
Description
Keywords
Citation
IFJR 2020,Part 3 (September-December)