FG denies approving competition on same sex marriage

The federal government has denied approving a letter circulating, stating that it has approved to host a National Schools Competition and a debate for secondary schools in the country tagged “Same Sex Marriage Should Be Legalised in Nigeria.”

The alleged debate has been generating reactions on social media as a group raised a campaign against it, saying people should boycott the competition as it is part of subtle propaganda to normalise LGBTQ ideals.

The letter was said to have been sent out to commissioners of education in the state, alleging it was from the Federal Ministry of Education.

However, the Permanent Secretary, Dr Nasir Sani-Gwarzo in a letter, refuted the claim in reply to the Commissioner of Education, Science and Tech of Kogi State who must have written to the ministry after receiving a copy of the letter for the competition.

The letter, which was dated 9th August 2024, read in parts: “It has come to the attention of the Federal Ministry of Education that a letter allegedly from the Federal Ministry Education (FME) has been circulated to state commissioners of education inviting schools to participate in a national schools competition and debate organised by Creative Africa Initiative that proposes the legalisation of same-sex marriage in Nigeria.

This document is fraudulent and fake, as it didn’t emanate from the FME. It also contradicts both the values upheld by Nigerians and the stance of the Nigerian government and the FME.

“The Nigerian government has consistently maintained a strong stance against the legalisation of same-sex marriage, as evidenced by the Same-Sex Marriage Prohibition Act of 2014. The purported letter is fundamentally at odds with the cultural, religious, and societal values that form the foundation of Nigerian society,” the letter read.

Dr Sani-Gwarzo said the letter was an attempt to spread misinformation and cause confusion among the public, especially in an era where fake news can easily go viral

“In conclusion, the letter purportedly from the Federal Ministry of Education on the issue of same-sex marriage legalisation in Nigeria is a scam. The FME therefore advises the general public to discountenance the letter and its planned programme. The matter has already been reported to the security agencies to do the needful,” he said.