It was a close shave with death for two male students of The Polytechnic, Ibadan in Oyo State, Nigeria, as they narrowly escaped being lynched by an angry mob after they were caught engaging in a homosexual act on Monday, March 15, 2004.
The victims, Abiodun Emmanuel, a Civil Engineering student, and Ladi Thomas, a Quantity Surveying student, who are both gays and in a same-sex relationship, were reportedly spotted by a man kissing at a party organized by students of the Civil Engineering Department at Cotton’s Club, Bodija, Ibadan, to mark the successful completion of their program.
Unknown to them, while they hurriedly left the scene and headed for the hotel booked by Emmanuel to continue their sexual escapade, the man trailed them to their location. A few minutes later, some management staff of the hotel forcefully barged into their room. The two gay partners, who were engaging in a romance, quickly disengaged and put on their clothes as the hotel workers started shouting at them and subsequently dragged them to the manager’s office, where it was decided that the police should be invited to arrest them.
At this point, a crowd of irate mob was said to have stormed the hotel premises after getting report about the incident, demanding that Emmanuel and his partner be released to them to be properly dealt with.
However, a man (name withheld due to the sensitivity of the incident), identified as the owner of the hotel, sensing danger that could lead to a bigger problem for his hotel, quickly intervened after being briefed by his staff.
He reportedly interrogated the two students on their illicit act and later allowed them to leave the hotel surreptitiously through the rear door, warning them to stay away from his hotel.
Meanwhile, Emmanuel, in an interview with Oriwu Sun, confirmed the incident and his homosexual identity.
He said that he and his male partner were tired of hiding their relationship from the public, which was why they decided to make out briefly at a corner of the party instead of ensuring total privacy.
He added that the timely intervention of the hotel owner saved their lives, as they could have been brutally attacked by the mob outside the hotel.
The native of Olowu clan in Ijesaland, Osun State, Nigeria, who was born and raised in Ibadan, decried the persecution and prejudiced treatment frequently inflicted on him and other gays in the country because of their sexual orientation. He disclosed that he was seeking asylum in the United States of America to escape his ordeal.
“I don’t know what to do. I wanted to be myself, but I am afraid. On many occasions, police came looking for me in my house just to harass, threaten, and extort money from me.”
While he said he had contemplated moving to other parts of the country, particularly the northern region, due to the problems he faced in Ibadan, Emmanuel stated that the Sharia law there made him abandon the idea.
“I thought of relocating to other parts of the country, especially the North, but it is even worse there. Sharia law for gay practices is death by stoning, with other challenges like Boko Haram, reckless killings by herdsmen, kidnapping, banditry, and other crimes.”
“I am seeking asylum in the United States of America based on these challenges, coupled with the persecution and prejudiced treatment I am subjected to because of my preference for men over women.”
Recalling his journey into homosexuality, Emmanuel disclosed that his exposure began at age eight when his parents, due to financial constraints, sent him to live with his uncle.
According to him, his uncle, whom he described as a strong member of the LGBT community, sexually abused him and threatened to kill him if he told anyone.
“At first, I felt pain and cried many times, but later I adjusted and started enjoying it,” he said.
He added that his uncle’s same-sex lifestyle influenced his lack of attraction to females. His first same-sex relationship outside his uncle was during his time at The Polytechnic, Ibadan, where he met Ladi Thomas at a party.
Emmanuel further alleged conspiracies against him at his workplace and within his family. He claimed that some family members physically attacked him with an iron rod, resulting in partial deafness, blaming him for the death of his father, a Deacon at Apostolic Church, Ilesa Diocese, Osun State, who reportedly died of stroke after being humiliated for having a gay son.
He added that youths in his hometown chased him and that he narrowly escaped.
He said the persecution from his family and the inhuman treatments he has faced everywhere subjected him to severe mental torture and made him feel unsafe in Nigeria, hence his desperation to leave the country before his life is prematurely cut short or he is arrested and prosecuted by the Nigerian government because of his sexual orientation.