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
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