David Cameron’s dangerous recolonising gambit

UK PM, David Cameron

Paul Arhewe,

(Published 2nd December, 2011)

When the Common Wealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) wound off in Perth, Australia last October, the British Prime, Minister David Cameron, left with a parting shot: zero tolerance to gay life style is now a prerequisite for African nations seeking aid from the United Kingdom. This decision ought to and should be a conscience assault on a continent that is reeling in hunger and famine and the crippling effects of corruption and bad governance.

The position of the self acclaimed ‘lord of our civilisation’ is nothing but a recolonisation of our consciences and values.

The worse that can happen to any society is when it is forced to embrace anomic and alien values, that is a state of breakdown in social norms and operating with value sapped culture. Indeed, this extremist and beyond the ordinary sexual fantasies is non-African and the people of the continent being one that accord prime regards to religion and culture would nevertheless be forced to accept easily this carrot and stick approach of Cameron and his cohorts.

We are gratified that many African leaders have so far demonstrated an uncommon resolve not to be blackmailed into what is obviously a mission into self immolation. Last week, three Cameroonians were imprisoned for five years for homosexual acts and dressing publicly like women. Earlier this year a Ugandan gay activist, David Kato, was massacred for trying to propagate this foreign lifestyle to his people. Ghanaian President John Atta Mills has won the hearts of many in his public renunciation of homosexualism when he said: “I as president of this nation will never initiate or support any attempt to legalise homosexuality in Ghana.” Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni’s adviser, John Nagenda, accused Cameron of adopting a “bullying mentality” and of treating Ugandans like “children”.

It is rather uninspiring, especially for the leader of a self professed giant of Africa to keep mum when other leaders of smaller neighbouring countries are overtly declaring their positions; not minding whether the former colonial emperor’s ox is gored. To put this straight, our president has not really done much in this regard to declare his stance. President Goodluck Jonathan should follow the path of Mills, Mugabe and other African leaders in condemning or if he is in Cameron camp, he should declare his backings for it and be ready to give cogent explanation why it should be allowed.

It is good news that the Nigerian Senate has stood its ground by passing into law on Tuesday a bill prohibiting same sex marriage. Senate President David Mark deserves public commendation for out rightly condemning it even before the senate consent to the bill. Mark acknowledged the resistance and criticism of western countries over the passage of the bill. However, he said Nigeria would not bow to international pressure on any legislation. If Cameron and other western governments really care about the fate of gays and lesbians in Africa, they should relax their immigration requirements to allow them to claim asylum more easily in their countries.

More supports are needed to see that this new bill be effective in meeting its purpose. Our religious leaders, traditional authorities and other prominent opinion leaders should not fence sit, but lend their voices to a national cultural reawakening campaign. The National Orientation

Agency (NAO) has a great task ahead in taking the anti-gay campaign to schools and homes. The West should know the world has gone beyond the era of cultural imperialism. If aids and grants are tied to a compelled submission to extremist moral perversity then such Greek gifts of Trojan horse are not worth it. We better live with the resources we have than selling our conscience for the biblical porridge.

The argument of the West for advocating for freedom of gay marriage boils down to human rights freedom of choice and privacy. The level of perversions in this clime would only lead to complete breakdown in social norms and values if such is endorsed here. The Western world has little to fret over hunger, poverty, corruption, bad governments and their likes that have plagued our society.

What should be our focal concern here and which requires the support of these advanced countries is how to ameliorate the effects of the aforementioned.