Davis Mac-Iyalla, the Director of Changing Attitude Nigeria, has published his thoughts about Archbishop Peter Akinola’s Pastoral Letter in an article on Comment is free: No change in attitudes

One of the two Changing Attitude Nigeria group leaders who was present at the public hearing in Abuja on the Same Gender Marriage (Prohibition) Act has posted his thoughts on Archbishop Akinola’s letter to the group. He writes:

“It still surprises me that people refuse to see the truth when they can now see very clearly the presence of LGBT people in Nigeria. Why don’t people ask themselves why there are gay people in our society? Don’t they understand that there are some things about a person, like our sexuality, that cannot be changed?

“Where has the large sum of money come from that Archbishop Akinola refers to? Changing Attitude is a way of changing people's thinking about us lesbian and gay people and not a way of making money. We don’t need money to make is what we already are.

“They should understand that we are not possessed people as they have labelled us. Whatever deliverance ministry or teaching anyone thinks they can use to change our personality will be a waste of time. Being lesbian or gay has to do with God's creation and is natural. It is only possessed people that need and seek deliverance, not gay people. We are not possessed, we are Godly people.

“I was at the hearing where there was much talk about gays being evil, demonic and ungodly. It is because of the way people talk about us that some gay people see themselves as evil and sinners. As a result they continue to fight within themselves and cannot accept who they are.

“Now the Church of Nigeria is trying to make it look as if homosexuality is a western thing and that we are influenced by money sent from the west to bribe and corrupt us. I can never be influenced over my sexuality, not by anything in this world. We gay Nigerians can never be lured into being something that we already are by God's creation. I am sure the leaders already know the truth. We are here to let them know the truth that they have refused to accept.

“I also want to say to those who are not gay, meet us and get to know us and you will see that we are normal humans just like you. You must learn to accept us as we are. That is God’s wish for us all.”

Davis and Uche both issue a challenge to Archbishop Akinola in fulfilment of his commitment to listen to homosexual people – meet us and listen to us. This challenge will never go away because LGBT people will always be present in Nigerian society and churches. One day, the Archbishop or one of his successors will fulfil the pledge to listen.