Nigerian newspaper column claims Theresa May is a lesbian after LGBT rights intervention
British Prime Minister Theresa May (Simon Dawson/ WPA Pool/Getty Images)
A Nigerian newspaper has published a bizarre column suggesting that British Prime Minister Theresa May is to divorce her husband to seek a Nigerian bride.
An opinion column in the Nigerian Guardian made the surreal claim after May made a high-profile intervention at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in London on Tuesday, where she spoke about the UK’s regret at imposing anti-gay laws in former colonies.
May noted that 36 of the 53 Commonwealth countries continue to criminalise homosexuality, adding: “I deeply regret the fact that such laws were introduced, and the legacy of discrimination, violence and even death that persists today.”
But Nigerian Guardian writer Paul Onomuakpokpo has his own surreal theory for why the PM backed equality.
British Prime Minister Theresa May greets Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson (Jeff J Mitchell/Getty)
In a column published on Thursday, the writer claimed: “It is either that British Prime Minister Theresa May is on the verge of divorcing her husband or she is a lesbian even though she is married to a man.
“In either case, the PM might be considering taking a wife from Nigeria or any other Commonwealth country that her ancestors presided over its expropriation and ruination.
“Obviously, May is ruing her mistake of ever getting married to a man. She would have preferred to be a lesbian-husband with a wife. Or why is she rhapsodising about the glories of homosexuality?
“If May does not hanker after lesbianism, then she should be charged with duplicity directed at sexually perverting millions of other people while she is enjoying being married to a man.”
The writer added: “May has been married for almost 40 years. As a young lady, she did not see the need to marry a woman. It is now that she is in her sixties that she is preaching the virtues of same-sex marriage.”
Onomuakpokpo goes on to claim that the lesbian May will not be welcome to find a bride in Nigeria – or the United States under Donald Trump.
(Getty Images)
He wrote: “If May wants a wife from Nigeria with the support of its government, she would definitely be disappointed.
“Nor would she find succour in the United States which was a bastion of same-sex marriage advocacy in the Obama era.
“Now, she is not likely to be a welcome guest of President Donald Trump.
“But she could find a wife in France, Germany, Luxembourg, New Zealand, Denmark and other such countries that have embraced the prospect of extinction by endorsing same-sex marriage.”
PinkNews contacted the Nigerian Guardian for comment but did not receive a reply at the time of publication.
It is illegal to be gay in Nigeria. Homosexual conduct carries the death penalty in some states, while in others people face up to 14 years in prison.
(MICHAL WACHUCIK/AFP/Getty)
Other news outlets in Commonwealth countries distorted May’s speech by claiming she was calling for same-sex marriage to be imposed, while the UK leader, in fact, called for the removal of laws banning gay sex.
May said: “Across the world, discriminatory laws made many years ago continue to affect the lives of many people, criminalising same sex relations and failing to protect women and girls.
“I am all too aware that these laws were often put in place by my own country. They were wrong then and they are wrong now.
“As the United Kingdom’s Prime Minister, I deeply regret the fact that such laws were introduced, and the legacy of discrimination, violence and even death that persists today.”
She added: “As a family of nations, we must respect one another’s cultures and traditions, but we must do so in a manner consistent with our common value of equality – a value that is clearly stated in the Commonwealth charter.
“Recent years have brought progress. The three nations that have most recently decriminalised same-sex relationships are all Commonwealth members, and since the heads of government last met, the Commonwealth has agreed to accredit its first organisation for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people.
“Yet there remains much to do. Nobody should face discrimination or persecution because of who they are or who they love.
“The UK stands ready to support any Commonwealth member wanting to reform outdated legislation that makes such discrimination possible, because the world has changed.”
(Simon Dawson/ WPA Pool/Getty Images)
In a statement, Dr. Saheed Ashafa, who represents the Muslim Students’ Society of Nigeria, also urged the country to reject the PM’s advances.
Ashafa said: “Theresa May’s call for support of same-sex marriage is a mere wish and also an exercise of one’s freedom of expression.
“To us, it has no effect. We know the position of Nigeria on same-sex, it remains an abomination and there is no doubt about it. It must not change. It is one of the factors helping to reduce crimes in Nigeria.
“Theresa and others with similar desire only need to remember that we are an independent nation with our own autonomy; our freedom of thought remains sacrosanct. The same-sex marriage ideology is a practice that should never happen in Nigeria.
“Here in Nigeria, our constitution recognises multiplicity of religion and God as the supreme being, and as such His forbiddens are consciously avoided. Same-sex marriage is unlawful, and it is so held. It is an abomination and a call to it is a call to destruction.”
