Icheoku says regrettably the Nigeria Senate President, Senator David Mark, missed the point or rather exposed his ignorance about homosexuality when he inferred that people are gay simply because of lack or their inability to find opposite-sex partners? According to this former army man, “There are enough men and women to marry each other," and therefore gays have no basis of being gays and should therefore not be gays anymore? Senator David Mark hardline position in denying God's children their legitimate fundamental human-rights to marry each other, in pursuit of happiness and love, which being gay has been declared by the United Nations to be, stems from the fact that he failed to understand that being gay is not a choice. It is rather a function of being born that way - gay people were wired from conception to be gay. It is in their DNA; it is a biological makeup and their constitution to tilt and gravitate towards same-sex.
Icheoku is emphatic that it has been scientifically established that biological or animalistic impulse rather than other suggested Sodomic obsession that attracts gay people to one another. Put in another way, gay people are not atypical heterosexual people and this alone is sufficient to make the David Marks of this world to learn how to be more accommodating and tolerant of people who are somewhat different from him and prefers differently. Majority of gay people, if they had a choice, would rather go straight; but they do not feel the magnetic pull provided by opposite sex and the Bible recorded homosexualism as an existent way of life even before the coming of Jesus Christ. Like prostitution which is reputed to be the oldest profession, gaydom has been part of mankind dating back to recorded history and as chronicled in the biblical account of Sodom and Gomorrah. Icheoku must however add that the two cities were not destroyed just because of homosexualism alone, admitted it probably was part of the reason and the fact that God could not find ten honest people therein. So any person, including Senator David Mark, who parleys this biblical account of Sodom and Gomorrah as being synonymous to homosexualism is economic with the truth and should revisit that biblical passage in Genesis Chapter 18 & 19 and see for himself/herself that sodomy was just an a part but not the whole reason for God's intervention.
At a time when the whole world including the Vatican is becoming more inclusive and looking for a meaningful way to fully accommodate all God's children irrespective of their private life, David Mark's Nigeria is publicly standing naked and alone, as a country which harbors seething anti-gay views and whose leadership is bigoted against people born that way. A statement as awful as "Gay is offensive to our culture and tradition" will definitely send a rude shock to notable gay men like Sir Elton John, knighted by the Queen of England; and you tell Icheoku what his reaction would be to any of his funds-manager contemplating to make some investments in Nigeria? And to deny that so many gay men and women are venture capitalists and control some enormous resources and impressive capital the world over is to understate the obvious. Icheoku says any savvy political leader in Senator David Mark's position would have kept his views on this subject matter private and his opinion personal; mindful of the reach and interpretation such expressed opinion might elicit and being interpreted as the official Nigeria government position on the gay community. It is called political correctness in manner of speaking, required of every public official as both straights and 'born this ways' are all people under their authority and deserve to be evenly protected. Icheoku says judgment is mine says the Lord and no human-being including Senator David Mark should arrogate to himself the right to treat fellow human-beings as less human-beings, unclean, unworthy or even a taboo; admitted the Dalits of India are suffering the same inhuman treatment in India.
The entire humanity inhabiting this planet earth are in it together, yoked together by fate to all that exist in this world, including but not limited to sexual preferences. Modern world is all about inclusiveness and not isolation or segregation. Icheoku says if the church could accept homosexuals as full members of the church and some churches even took it a notch further by ordaining 'born-this-ways' clergy, who is Senator David Mark of Nigeria to demean this group of God's children? Senator David Mark proclaimed Christianity as his authority for discriminating against God's own children; but regrettably he failed or did not read that verse in the Bible where God ordered Peter not to call his children unclean ( Acts 10:9-19); and Jesus also admonished that he came for those who are sick and not the holier than thou sanctimonious people like the David Marks of this world. What is marriage but the union of any two units whether of objects of persons; hence the word couple which means to join together. If anyone wants to marry even his rat or her goat, it is okay by Icheoku provided it is left that way and not encroach on other peoples right to freely choose who or what their partners would be. It simply does not and should not matter whether a person is straight or crooked - all that the world needs is love.
Icheoku says if Senator David Marks claims that his particular Christian faith abhors homosexualism and that their way of life is incomprehensible to him, it is okay, provided he spoke within the confines of his opinion only. But he however would cross the line if he tries to pass his opinion off as that of the entire populace or portray Nigerians whom he represents as their senate president as anti-gay people who are opposed to gay peoples' fundamental human rights. Senator David Mark should be mindful of the fact that Nigeria does not belong to Christians alone or his brand of Christianity to be precise; and that their morals is not the new laws of Nigeria. Also he should not hold other peoples interests and fundamental human rights hostage to his Christian views and ideology.
Probably, his Christian faith does not approve of Catholic priests raping and molesting alter boys, yet he has not denounced them with similar venom or threaten to outlaw marriages contracted under the faith? Endemic corruption in Nigeria is possibly abhorred by his Christian faith, yet it thrives and grows in bounds and reap? What about cheating on spouses or people keeping mistresses, divorces as well as other legion of vices and societal madness which go on indiscriminately in Nigeria despite David Mark's Christian faith? Icheoku says for this David Mark to just single out the gay community as the people to pummel is rather very unfortunate and in a country that is not and should not be beholden to one particular ideology or unitary morality source. If David Mark "cannot be a party to it (same-sex)," he should not be and no one is compelling him or trying to; but he should let others who possibly have differing opinions and views to express them and he should not muzzle or try to intimidate such divergent views with his official position.
The last time Icheoku checked, there is no place in Christendom that approves of military coup de tat as an approved manner of changing governments, yet this David Mark had participated in so many coups in Nigeria as to disqualify him from holding any office in a democratic Nigeria including its senate presidency. So who is now preaching to the choir but a holier than thou Saint Senator David Mark? If homosexualism is an "importation of foreign culture," Icheoku asks, is presidential democracy indigenous to Nigeria? Monogamy is not part of Nigeria's culture but it is an acceptable way of life; admitted that both spouses cheat on each other with numerous partners and concubines. How about the myriad of other foreign cultures which have taken over Nigeria landscape and who is this man to say that being gay is "a freedom too many?" Is Christianity Nigerian or an imported religion? The clothes on David Marks back is equally alien, likewise the limousine that drives him about. If David Mark wants to explore culture or foreign influence on Nigeria, Icheoku is ready to debate him any day any time; but resents the singling out of a minority group to scapegoat them using the the ruse of culture.
Reiterating, Icheoku says there is nothing "offensive and/or repugnant" with being biologically so wired to be attracted to the same-sex; admitted it goes against some societal ingrained position that opposite attracts. If David Mark has any question or beef with the ways or manner and wisdom of God, who also created homosexual people, he should quietly direct his questions to God in prayers; but he must cease and desist from threatening and disturbing the peace of "born this ways" of Nigeria. David Mark should leave Nigerian LGBT community alone to live happily with whoever they choose or prefer to share their love with. If David Mark wants to preach against homosexualism through the streets of Ashkelon or to publish his hatred and contempt for these children of God in Garth, he is free to so do; but he must cease and desist from passing his views off or seen to be speaking in his official capacity as that of the Nigeria government or Nigerians for that matter.
Icheoku says it is not only homosexualism that David Mark was not aware where it came from, therefore his particular pre-knowledge is not a necessary prerequiste to confer it approval. Shamelessly his acolyte Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba, PDP Cross River, naively posited “If we are all same sex how do we produce human beings who have human rights?” In response, Icheoku says, the problem with Nigeria is the type and calibre of people in leadership positions such as this Ndoma-Egba, who is now trivializing such a far reaching fundamental human right issue in this manner? By the same token, would this Ndoma-Egba have asked 'if all Nigerians are reverend fathers and sisters, how would they produce people to populate Nigeria?' It is just mind-boggling that the issue of freedom of sexuality in Nigeria is being discussed in this puerile manner by people in authority, knowing fully well the far-reaching effect to Nigeria's image and economy such could cause. Icheoku therefore calls on Senator David Mark to allow an open, free and uninhibited debate and vote on same sex marriage in Nigeria and let the tree fall where it may. David Mark and his types in Nigeria should know that there is nothing abnormal in same sex attraction neither is it a taboo for any of God's children to love whoever they are attracted to. Just get over it, Senator Homophobe and please next time, just keep your opinion private and to yourself. It is called political correctness in manner of speaking required of public officials and a leader should not discriminate or seen to discriminate especially against less powerful minority members of the polity which he leads.
At a time when the whole world including the Vatican is becoming more inclusive and looking for a meaningful way to fully accommodate all God's children irrespective of their private life, David Mark's Nigeria is publicly standing naked and alone, as a country which harbors seething anti-gay views and whose leadership is bigoted against people born that way. A statement as awful as "Gay is offensive to our culture and tradition" will definitely send a rude shock to notable gay men like Sir Elton John, knighted by the Queen of England; and you tell Icheoku what his reaction would be to any of his funds-manager contemplating to make some investments in Nigeria? And to deny that so many gay men and women are venture capitalists and control some enormous resources and impressive capital the world over is to understate the obvious. Icheoku says any savvy political leader in Senator David Mark's position would have kept his views on this subject matter private and his opinion personal; mindful of the reach and interpretation such expressed opinion might elicit and being interpreted as the official Nigeria government position on the gay community. It is called political correctness in manner of speaking, required of every public official as both straights and 'born this ways' are all people under their authority and deserve to be evenly protected. Icheoku says judgment is mine says the Lord and no human-being including Senator David Mark should arrogate to himself the right to treat fellow human-beings as less human-beings, unclean, unworthy or even a taboo; admitted the Dalits of India are suffering the same inhuman treatment in India.
The entire humanity inhabiting this planet earth are in it together, yoked together by fate to all that exist in this world, including but not limited to sexual preferences. Modern world is all about inclusiveness and not isolation or segregation. Icheoku says if the church could accept homosexuals as full members of the church and some churches even took it a notch further by ordaining 'born-this-ways' clergy, who is Senator David Mark of Nigeria to demean this group of God's children? Senator David Mark proclaimed Christianity as his authority for discriminating against God's own children; but regrettably he failed or did not read that verse in the Bible where God ordered Peter not to call his children unclean ( Acts 10:9-19); and Jesus also admonished that he came for those who are sick and not the holier than thou sanctimonious people like the David Marks of this world. What is marriage but the union of any two units whether of objects of persons; hence the word couple which means to join together. If anyone wants to marry even his rat or her goat, it is okay by Icheoku provided it is left that way and not encroach on other peoples right to freely choose who or what their partners would be. It simply does not and should not matter whether a person is straight or crooked - all that the world needs is love.
Icheoku says if Senator David Marks claims that his particular Christian faith abhors homosexualism and that their way of life is incomprehensible to him, it is okay, provided he spoke within the confines of his opinion only. But he however would cross the line if he tries to pass his opinion off as that of the entire populace or portray Nigerians whom he represents as their senate president as anti-gay people who are opposed to gay peoples' fundamental human rights. Senator David Mark should be mindful of the fact that Nigeria does not belong to Christians alone or his brand of Christianity to be precise; and that their morals is not the new laws of Nigeria. Also he should not hold other peoples interests and fundamental human rights hostage to his Christian views and ideology.
Probably, his Christian faith does not approve of Catholic priests raping and molesting alter boys, yet he has not denounced them with similar venom or threaten to outlaw marriages contracted under the faith? Endemic corruption in Nigeria is possibly abhorred by his Christian faith, yet it thrives and grows in bounds and reap? What about cheating on spouses or people keeping mistresses, divorces as well as other legion of vices and societal madness which go on indiscriminately in Nigeria despite David Mark's Christian faith? Icheoku says for this David Mark to just single out the gay community as the people to pummel is rather very unfortunate and in a country that is not and should not be beholden to one particular ideology or unitary morality source. If David Mark "cannot be a party to it (same-sex)," he should not be and no one is compelling him or trying to; but he should let others who possibly have differing opinions and views to express them and he should not muzzle or try to intimidate such divergent views with his official position.
The last time Icheoku checked, there is no place in Christendom that approves of military coup de tat as an approved manner of changing governments, yet this David Mark had participated in so many coups in Nigeria as to disqualify him from holding any office in a democratic Nigeria including its senate presidency. So who is now preaching to the choir but a holier than thou Saint Senator David Mark? If homosexualism is an "importation of foreign culture," Icheoku asks, is presidential democracy indigenous to Nigeria? Monogamy is not part of Nigeria's culture but it is an acceptable way of life; admitted that both spouses cheat on each other with numerous partners and concubines. How about the myriad of other foreign cultures which have taken over Nigeria landscape and who is this man to say that being gay is "a freedom too many?" Is Christianity Nigerian or an imported religion? The clothes on David Marks back is equally alien, likewise the limousine that drives him about. If David Mark wants to explore culture or foreign influence on Nigeria, Icheoku is ready to debate him any day any time; but resents the singling out of a minority group to scapegoat them using the the ruse of culture.
Reiterating, Icheoku says there is nothing "offensive and/or repugnant" with being biologically so wired to be attracted to the same-sex; admitted it goes against some societal ingrained position that opposite attracts. If David Mark has any question or beef with the ways or manner and wisdom of God, who also created homosexual people, he should quietly direct his questions to God in prayers; but he must cease and desist from threatening and disturbing the peace of "born this ways" of Nigeria. David Mark should leave Nigerian LGBT community alone to live happily with whoever they choose or prefer to share their love with. If David Mark wants to preach against homosexualism through the streets of Ashkelon or to publish his hatred and contempt for these children of God in Garth, he is free to so do; but he must cease and desist from passing his views off or seen to be speaking in his official capacity as that of the Nigeria government or Nigerians for that matter.
Icheoku says it is not only homosexualism that David Mark was not aware where it came from, therefore his particular pre-knowledge is not a necessary prerequiste to confer it approval. Shamelessly his acolyte Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba, PDP Cross River, naively posited “If we are all same sex how do we produce human beings who have human rights?” In response, Icheoku says, the problem with Nigeria is the type and calibre of people in leadership positions such as this Ndoma-Egba, who is now trivializing such a far reaching fundamental human right issue in this manner? By the same token, would this Ndoma-Egba have asked 'if all Nigerians are reverend fathers and sisters, how would they produce people to populate Nigeria?' It is just mind-boggling that the issue of freedom of sexuality in Nigeria is being discussed in this puerile manner by people in authority, knowing fully well the far-reaching effect to Nigeria's image and economy such could cause. Icheoku therefore calls on Senator David Mark to allow an open, free and uninhibited debate and vote on same sex marriage in Nigeria and let the tree fall where it may. David Mark and his types in Nigeria should know that there is nothing abnormal in same sex attraction neither is it a taboo for any of God's children to love whoever they are attracted to. Just get over it, Senator Homophobe and please next time, just keep your opinion private and to yourself. It is called political correctness in manner of speaking required of public officials and a leader should not discriminate or seen to discriminate especially against less powerful minority members of the polity which he leads.
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Christy 'Apena' Essien-Igbokwe , the wife of Jegede Shokoya of the New Masquerade and Nigeria's lady of songs is dead; she was 51years old. Although her family claimed that "brief Illness" killed her like so many Nigerians; Icheoku retorts that it was most likely AKwa Ibom voodoo and remote control that was used to arrest her. It is on record that she had fallen out with the governor of her native Akwa Ibiom State and have been having a relentless war for political turf with the governor? So who knows whether she was sacrificed to Ekpe cult or even Alusi-Okija as an offal; afterall African science is still very much alive and portent. May her soul rest in peace.
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