You need Java to see this applet.
Copyrights © 2007  All Rights Reserved African Examiner Online is owned by RD Frontline LLC, a state of Maryland registered company
P. O. Box 11582 Baltimore, MD, 21229, USA Tel: 443-904-1239. Editor-In-Chief: Oludare Sunday Fase
News, Politics, Sports
about Nigeria and all Africa
Custom Search
Get our News Update fast, download  
AE Toolbar!
Click here to download Now!
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Online media
Newspapers
I have followed with interest the propaganda campaign of one Okachikwu
Didia against the registration of the Nigerian Humanist Movement(NHM).
Already more informed writers and commentators have tried to enlighten
him but he appears intellectually impervious to light, corrections and
growth. Dibia is literally obsessed with his stone age ideas and mentality
which, he thinks, should guide or govern the society. Otherwise how does
one explain this ‘illogic’ which resonates throughout his piece on
Homosexuality and the Registration of Nigerian Humanist Movement. It is
as follows: Because of what he calls my ‘ideas and antecdents’ and my
support for ‘all shades of sex mannerisms especially homosexuality’. That
an organisation which I am associated with should not be registered by
the Corporate Affairs Commission(CAC). I mean what a preposterous
position to take. What can be more intolerant and fanatical than this?
Dibia’s position is not in any way different from that of Boko Haram
militants. I guess he expressed in writing what Boko Haram is doing by
bombing. In his piece, Okachikwu Dibia exhibited lack of insight, balanced
and intelligent grasp of issues at stake. He allowed sentiments to becloud
his sense of reasoning and corrupt his idea of humanity. He portrayed his
lack of understanding of basic terms and terminologies like humanism,
human rights and homosexuality.  Or maybe he was not aware of the
meaning of these terms. Or he knew their meanings but deliberately
ignored them in his desperate attempt to discredit me and the humanist
movement.

First of all, it is important to note that I , Leo Igwe, am not seeking
registration with Corporate Affairs Commission. I do not need a
registration to express my views on any issue. It is my right as a human
being and a citizen of Nigeria. But a group-the NHM- I am associated with
is seeking to register in order to operate as a legal entity. How could any
intelligent member of the homo sapiens argue and propose that since he
dislikes or objects to my views, that a group I am associated with should
not be registered?

And the person was not thoughtful enough to keep such ideas to himself.
Instead he went ahead to pen them down and circulate in the media. And
even after some commentators have tried to call him to order, he still went
ahead to re-echo and re-affirm the same position.

This is evident when one considers that he based his opposition to the
incorporation of NHM, not on what NHM is doing. He never demonstrated
how in any way the registration of NHM was against the law and
constitution of the country. Dibia based his argument on what he imagined
the ‘human rights group will do’. Come on, this is like convicting someone
before the person commits an offence. Or better condemning a ‘child’ in
the womb based on one’s dislike of the ideas of the parents and asking
that the pregnancy be aborted. How esle does one describe the meaning
of bias or prejudice?

For me this is not only a case of homophobia but also some kind of
intellectual zenophobia. And in order to market his outrageous position,
Dibia tried donning it the garb of Africaness. As if everything that is African
is good, sound or acceptable. No, it is not so, at least in this case.

And even though I find Dibia’s proposal reprehensible and objectionable, I
will not ask the CAC not to register any group Dibia is associated with
because of this. After all everybody has the right to express his or her
opinion-good or bad, moral or immoral, African or unAfrican, stupid or
intelligent, primitive or modern, rational or irrational. It is only in a situation
where individuals can express their thoughts and ideas freely that the
society can generate ideas for its growth, enlightenment and progress.

Sadly this is an enlightened approach to human diversity and differences
that the likes of Okachikwu Didia have yet to understand, cultivate and
appreciate.

Lastly I would like to reiterate the fact that humanism and homosexuality
are not the same. Dibia, out of ignorance, confused the terms. Humanism
is a human centered way of thinking and living. The humanist outlook is
informed by reason, science and compassion. While homosexuality refers
to sexual relationship between persons of the same sex.  As an outlook
that focuses on humanity, nothing human or related to human beings
including sexuality is alien to the humanist outlook. That means,
humanists, as a matter of principle, are committed to defending the rights
of persons despite the race, religion, belief, ethnicity, nationality, sex or
sexual orientation.
HOMOSEXUALITY AND THE HUMANIST
MOVEMENT
| More
________________________________________________________________________
HTML Comment Box is loading comments...
Leave a Comment

Disclaimer: Comments posted on this site do not reflect the views of African
Examiner.com.  Please avoid abusive, vulgar, racist or rude words. Our
editors regulate these comments. Any comment that violates this term
of use will be deleted and may be banned. Send report of any misuse to
editor@africanexaminer.com. Thanks
__________________________________
Leo Igwe
Monday,  January 02 , 2012
Supreme Court upholds
Jonathan’s elections
African Examiner
Thursday,  December 29, 2011
Bomb rocks Arabic school
in Sapele, Delta state
African Examiner
Thursday,  December 29, 2011
Christmas Day Bombings:
Jonathan, CAN meet today
African Examiner
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
Christmas Day bombing:
Death toll now 43
African Examiner
Friday,  December 30, 2011