::: Being Gay in Cameroon :::




Roger Jean-Claude Mbede.

Very few may know him. Well he is or was an icon for gay rights in Cameroon. He died at the age of 35 early this year.
I guess it’s no new story to you all that homosexuality in Cameroon is illegal. Homosexuality is punishable by prison terms of up to five years in Cameroon, and the country prosecutes more people for gay sex than any other in sub-Saharan Africa, according to Human Rights Watch. 
Many still believe that it does not exist in Cameroon, and even if it does, it’s a sect and easy way out to make money.

It’s not my place to judge or argue about its existence or not. But looking at the new Law in Nigeria and its consequences, keeps me wondering what our stand on this issue as Cameroonians are.
I know many will say it’s not “my problem”, but these are social facts of the society we live in and we cannot close our eyes and pretend it does not exist!

Back to Nigeria…Well you all know my people make good use of every opportunity that comes their way. 


The Royal Embassy of the Netherlands in Nigeria has confirmed that it has received some applications for asylum by some Nigerians who claim to be Homosexuals. They fear persecution following the anti-gay bill signed by President Goodluck Jonathan.

The sad aspect of all this is fellow human beings taking law into their hands to pass judgment on what they deem unlawfull.
Stop pointing fingers at Nigeria!
Believe me this happened in Cameroon too. A prominent gay rights activist Eric Ohena Lembembe, was found tortured and killed in his home in Douala Cameroon.



In late January 2011, Serges T. was nearly burned alive by a mob in Douala angry because of his homosexuality.

"They told me they knew I'm gay and that homosexuality is a cult. They told me I had no right to live in the neighborhood. They decided to set fire to my room.  My lessor has begged him not to."


In the locality of Santa, some 25km south east of Bamenda on September 29, 2013,  two men in their mid twenties were caught in the act of love making inside an abandoned vehicle near a local night club off the Bamenda-Bafoussam high way. After being pounded upon with  sticks and stones, they were subsequently arrested by the gendarmes and are still under detention. Culled from Bamendaonline.net.


Alice Nkom is one of the few lawyers in Cameroon willing to represent men and women accused of homosexuality.
 Homosexuality in Cameroon is a "Tabu" and its a topic people shy away from.
What do you think?

Ps: I really appreciate your comments!
Love you all.

Comments

  1. Anonymous19 February 2014 at 04:19

    Homosexuality is not African. And I personally think people shy away from it because its a topic that one has to always take a stand.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Anonymous23 February 2014 at 10:28

    Africans/blacks are quick to notice and complain of racial discrimination. Yet in our own countries the suppression of minority groups(widows, orphans, smaller tribes...) is abominable.

    ReplyDelete

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