in a spin

By Victor Mkhize

May 13, 2004: The population of Nigeria is approximately140 million the country is divided into 36 states with 774 local government areas. The major tribes are Ibo, Yoruba and Hausa the minor tribes are made of 250 tribes. Homosexuality is a very serious offence in Nigeria with 14 years imprisonment, it is even worse in the northern Nigeria where you can be stoned to death. Even though the situation is like that the fact still remains that LGBT people exist in Nigeria. You can find people who are called Dandaudu which is a Hausa term for men who are wives of men. Support Project in Nigeria (SPIN) is an LGBT welfare organisation with over 400 registered members spread across the 6 geographical zones of Nigeria. The SPIN does a social interaction for LGBT people on HIV/ AIDS awareness and prevention, they started the support group and advocacy group they also do seminars. They preach the spirit of safer sex to the LGBT people working in partnership with Family Health International (FHI).they do the networking with the other LGBT groups within the 6 geographical zones of Nigeria.
The Support Project in Nigeria (SPIN) work hand in hand with smaller groups like Advocacy for Youth.

SPIN and other Nigerian groups are making the public aware of HIV/ AIDS through sensitization seminars and workshops they hold from time to time. According to SPIN a very high percentage of LGBT people now prefer safe sex practices, while the remaining still prefer to take chances. A few months ago the organisation lost 6 of its members to HIV/ AIDS. They encourage MSMs to seek voluntary counselling and testing (VCT). It is very difficult surviving as both LGBT/ HIV positive. SPIN try from time to time to make publications in Nigerian understand that HIV/AIDS is not the disease that is only associated with LGBT people. They believe that this will help in reducing the trauma that goes with being LGBT and HIV positive.

What is the government take on this issue? Due to the circular state of Nigeria it's very difficult diffusing the LGBT issues with HIV/ AIDS, but they were able to meet with the chairman of the National Action Committee on AIDS (NACA) Professor Babatunde Oshotimehin. They are still pursuing integration of the LGBT in HIV/ AIDS prevention and cure programmes; somehow they think that even President Obasanjo knows about their existence, even though he pretends not to know about them. That is the information they gathered the day they visited Professor Oshotimehin. This was the very good news for Support Project in Nigeria this will offer them the opportunity of full integration to HIV/ AIDS prevention and cure. And it will open up ways for other international organisations to help them in areas of support and funding.