Africans should not be prioritizing the fight for the right to be gay when there are far more pressing issues that demand our attention. The harsh reality is that most Africans do not have the luxury of comfort of being gay. They are still struggling to secure basic necessities like food, clean water and medical care. Yet, some activists have now shifted their focus to promoting LGBTQ+ rights, often doing so from the safety of their hometowns, while their neighbors continue to suffer in poverty. Instead of channeling energy into solving the critical problems that plague this continent, these activists seem more concerned about personal freedoms that, in the grand scheme of things, do little to address the root causes of African struggles.
It is deeply troubling that about 80% of these so-called gay activists come from families that are still living in poverty, barely surviving on one meal a day. Their priorities seem misplaced when their own relatives lack access to education, healthcare and economic opportunities. The truth is that advocating for LGBTQ+ rights is not a cause that should take center stage in Africa right now. While discussions about equality and human rights are important, they cannot take precedence over the dire issues of hunger, disease, unemployment and illiteracy that are crippling African societies.
The bigger picture must be understood. Many European countries, which claim to be champions of human rights, would be more than happy to see Africans waste time debating non-essential issues like sexual preferences. Meanwhile, they continue to make advancements in technology, education and economic development. The distraction serves their interests, as Africa remains dependent on foreign aid rather than building sustainable systems for growth and self-reliance. These gay activists may not even realize that they are being used as pawns by larger corporations and foreign entities that fund such campaigns. Their main goal is not to liberate Africans but to divide and distract them from focusing on the deeper issues that keep the continent underdeveloped.
In African culture, matters of love and sexuality have traditionally been regarded as private, not public. Public displays of affection regardless of sexual orientation are rare. Even if someone is gay, most people wouldn’t know because such personal matters are kept discreet. This raises the question: why make sexual orientation a public and political issue? Why push for same-sex marriage as a supposed solution to Africa’s challenges when it does nothing to address widespread poverty, inequality and illiteracy?
The idea that legalizing same-sex marriage will somehow lead to progress is nothing more than a fantasy. It is a distraction designed to shift people's focus away from the real problems affecting African people. Hunger, disease, lack of education and political instability should be the issues dominating African discussions and policy agendas, not debates about sexual rights. These activists, whether knowingly or unknowingly, are pushing an agenda that has no immediate relevance to the survival and advancement of African societies.
What Africa needs right now is to focus on education, healthcare, agriculture and infrastructure. We need to tackle the root causes of poverty and create sustainable opportunities for economic growth. We need to empower our youth with skills and knowledge that will enable them to compete globally. We cannot afford to be sidetracked by debates about sexuality when millions of Africans are still living without access to clean water, basic healthcare and proper education.