People in same-sex relationships in Uganda face the possibility of life imprisonment after the country’s parliament unanimously passed the 2023 Anti-LGBTQ+ Law. This legislation has been condemned by Amnesty International as “appalling,” “ambiguous,” and “vaguely worded,” and it establishes severe penalties for same-sex “offences,” including the death penalty for “aggravated homosexuality.”

If the Anti-LGBTQ+ Law is assented to by Uganda’s president, Yoweri Museveni, it would also make it a duty of a gay person’s family and community to report individuals in same-sex relationships to the authorities. The LGBTQ+ community in Uganda, which fought to overturn the Anti-Homosexuality Act of 2014, is now facing a significant blow. The 2014 Act already contained draconian provisions, including life imprisonment for same-sex acts. However, just five months after Museveni assented to the 2014 Act, Uganda’s constitutional court overturned it, not due to public outcry, but on procedural grounds.

Human Rights Watch has expressed concern that the passage of the Anti-LGBTQ+ Law will open the floodgates for persecution of sexual minorities, and it has described the current law as a “more egregious version” of the 2014 Act. The bill seems to be an unnecessary duplication of the penal code. However, parliament considers its passage necessary to address legislative gaps and “place emphasis on emerging matters” that are not contained in the criminal law, such as criminalizing the procurement, promotion, and dissemination of literature relating to homosexuality.

Uganda’s constitution already prohibits same-sex marriage, and the Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO) Act of 2016 prevents the registration of organizations involved in promoting LGBTQ+ rights, which prevents civil society organizations from advocating for the rights and welfare of sexual minorities. Sexual minorities face discrimination and marginalization from employment, health, and other services. They are ostracized from their communities and threatened with or experience homophobic attacks.

Opponents of the anti-homosexuality bill argue that it is in direct contravention of the Bill of Rights in Uganda’s constitution, which guarantees and protects a number of rights and freedoms applicable to all citizens, including the right to privacy, freedom from inhuman and degrading treatment, and protection against discrimination.

However, article 43 of Uganda’s constitution states that the enjoyment of rights and freedoms is subject to limitation if that limitation is seen to be in the public interest and “acceptable and demonstrably justifiable in a free and democratic society.” The public interest here is the protection of moral values and the traditional heterosexual family.

In her submission to the legal and parliamentary affairs committee, prominent human rights activist and academic Dr. Sylvia Tamale wrote that same-sex relations have always existed in African societies without persecution and have tended to be treated as a private matter. To criminalize them is to transform them into a matter of public concern and introduce “sexual apartheid.”

The passing of this discriminatory bill is among the worst of its kind in the world, and it is a deeply troubling development. The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, has urged Museveni not to sign it, stating that “if signed into law by the President, it will render lesbian, gay, and bisexual people in Uganda criminals simply for existing, for being who they are. It could provide carte blanche for the systematic violation of nearly all of their human rights and serve to incite people against each other.”

The threat of losing international aid was not sufficient to dissuade Museveni from assenting to the 2014 Act, and it is doubtful whether it will dissuade him now. The bill’s passage legitimizes anti-LGBTQ+ hatred and opens up the possibility that people could even face the death penalty for committing a private, consensual sexual act.

The Nigerian music industry has yet again received a major boost as two of its artistes have been selected to perform at the 2023 summer festivals in Spain. This comes after they emerged winners at the Vis a Vis Nigeria event.

According to a statement released by the Embassy of Spain in Abuja, the Vis a Vis project aims to promote African music on Spanish stages and generate the cultural industry in Africa. Out of 125 candidates, 12 Nigerian bands were shortlisted to perform in Lagos in front of Spanish music producers and festival directors.

The winning bands, Ruth Mahogany and the ARB Music Band from Abuja, and Ara Queen of Drums from Lagos, impressed the Spanish delegation with their performances and were subsequently chosen to represent Nigeria at the summer festivals in Spain. The festivals, which are set to take place in July, are among the most important summer festivals in Spain and attract both national and international tourists.

The Vis a Vis initiative has been ongoing for twelve years and has provided a platform for African musicians to showcase their talents to the world. The program has not only helped to promote African music but has also fostered cultural exchange and understanding between Africa and Spain.

This latest achievement by Nigerian artistes further highlights the wealth of talent that exists in the country’s music industry. It is hoped that this opportunity will open doors for more Nigerian musicians to showcase their talents on the international stage and ultimately contribute to the growth of the music industry in Nigeria.

The wife of popular social media comedian, Ganiyu Kehinde, also known as Ijoba Lande, has taken to social media to cry out over the disappearance of her husband. According to her, Ijoba Lande left home without his phone since Sunday night and has not returned home since then.

In a video post on Instagram by the comedian’s wife and another relative on Tuesday, they declared Ijoba Lande missing as his whereabouts remain unknown. The wife further revealed that they had reported the case to the nearest police station and also sought the help of a radio station to broadcast the news in hopes of finding him.

The post has since gone viral with fans and colleagues in the entertainment industry expressing their concern over the comedian’s disappearance. Cute Abiola, a fellow comedian, also took to Instagram to seek help from the public in locating Ijoba Lande.

This incident highlights the growing concerns over the safety of individuals in the entertainment industry, especially in Nigeria. The disappearance of Ijoba Lande raises questions about the security and protection of comedians and other creatives who often put themselves in the public eye.

Furthermore, this case highlights the need for effective security measures to protect public figures, and it is high time the Nigerian government took necessary steps to protect its citizens. It is essential to prioritize the safety of individuals, especially those in the entertainment industry, who bring joy and entertainment to millions of people across the country.

As fans and colleagues of Ijoba Lande continue to pray for his safe return, it is hoped that the authorities will take swift action to locate and rescue the comedian.

Watch video here;

The wife of popular social media comedian, Ganiyu Kehinde, who is known by his stage name Ijoba Lande, has appealed to the public for help over the sudden disappearance of her husband. #MissingPerson #ijobalande #Anttentionmedia pic.twitter.com/v9pSdOoGtW

— Anttention Media Africa (@anttentionmedia) March 29, 2023

In an effort to meet the growing demands of Nigerians for passport booklets, the Federal Government announced yesterday that it had produced 1.8 million passport booklets in 2022. This announcement was made by the Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, during the commissioning of the Ilesa Passport Front Office and Production Centre of the Nigeria Immigration Service in Ilesa, Osun State.

The Minister of Interior also promised to address the challenges that Nigerians face in applying for and obtaining passports, through improved service delivery and streamlining of operations. He stated that the government is working diligently to adequately address the growing number of Nigerians who need passports for various purposes.

According to Aregbesola, the upsurge in passport demands by Nigerians in recent years is due to a variety of factors. The COVID-19 pandemic affected production schedules due to restrictions on human movement, which created a backlog that was being cleared when an unprecedented number of Nigerians decided to travel outside the country and applied for a passport. This compounded the backlog challenge. Additionally, the panic buying syndrome kicked in, with many people who had no immediate need for a passport applying, which created a deluge of applications.

However, the government has responded to these challenges by increasing production capacity. In 2021, one million booklets were produced, and last year, production was increased to 1.8 million, almost doubling the government’s efforts. The Minister also stated that fresh passport applications will take six weeks after biometric data capture, while renewals will only require three weeks.

The Passport Front Office in Ilesa is one of the ways that the government is responding to increased demand for passports, with the aim of reducing the waiting time for biometric data capture. Similar front offices have been opened in Alimosho, Katsina, Zaria, Daura, and in several Nigerian missions abroad in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom, where the enhanced passport is being rolled out.

In conclusion, the Federal Government’s efforts to address the challenges of obtaining passports in Nigeria are commendable. The increased production capacity, opening of new passport offices, and promise of improved service delivery are steps in the right direction. It is hoped that these efforts will translate into a more efficient and effective passport issuance system that meets the needs of Nigerians.