Indeed, in northern Nigeria as well as Mauritania and Sudan, being arrested as a homosexual can result in the death penalty, while in Uganda, a convicted homosexual can be sentenced to life in prison. Homosexuals in Nigeria and other African states are frequently the targets of mob violence, with the crimes committed against these individuals going uninvestigated, even when the victims are killed. The sad truth is that his statement is not an exaggeration of the population's stance on the issue a recent Pew Research Center survey determined that 98% of the country disapproves of homosexuality. So it is a law that is a reflection of the beliefs and orientation of Nigerian people.Nigerians are pleased with it.' Speaking on behalf of the president, his aide Reuben Abati said, 'This is a law that is in line with the people's cultural and religious inclination. Unanimously passed by Nigeria's House of Representatives and signed into law by (then) President Goodluck Jonathan on January 7, 2014, the law imposes a penalty of up to 14 years in jail for individuals committing homosexual acts and up to 10 years in jail for anyone who 'administers, witnesses, abets or aids' a homosexual man or woman.

Same-sex relations are currently outlawed in at least 34 of the 55 African states, with Nigeria's Same Sex Marriage Prohibition Act being among the most strict. Over the course of Under the Udala Trees, the heroine, Ijeoma, discovers she's a lesbian, at first fighting her inclinations and trying to fit in, but later accepting that she's different from many of her peers.Īlthough homosexuals have gained more acceptance over the past decade in the United States and other Western countries, they've actually lost rights over the past few years in many areas of Africa. This article relates to Under the Udala Trees

Under the udala trees sparknotes