This Op-ed is a response to the murder of Giovanni Melton.
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Dear Self-righteous One,
At what point did we become so comfortable to raise glasses and hail a man for taking another man’s life?
At what point did you decide to mete out judgement if there’s anything like that because one’s sexuality is not conforming to ours? I am still in shock that you rain abuses on Boko Haram for their mayhem yet you rejoice that a man killed his gay son.
A 14-year-old boy.
How callous could you get?
Using the Bible to throw stones at others makes no sense and I am not writing this for your argument nor for you to justify yourself righteous white sepulchre lifestyle.I won’t read it and don’t come sliding into my DM because it won’t be fun for you.
Gay people are humans and until we begin to appreciate the beauty of human diversity we will never truly live. A 14-year-old “energetic” teenager who brought happiness to those he came across” was shot by his own father yet here you are in all righteousness toasting to a loss of life because of whom he goes to bed with? Does that justify his death? How has his sexuality affected your output at work or your corrupt political figures who steal your crude oil money or was it his sexuality that threw your country into recession in the first place?
You point fingers at Boko Haram; calling them insurgents and terrorists when you are part of a terrorist cell whether you know or it or not. If the death of a 14-year-old who was abused physically, mentally and spiritually for many years gives you comfort, then you should be ashamed and hide your head. What do you tell your children or friends when they tell you of their struggles, from bullying to domestic abuse, suicide and the unjust killings on our streets?
How have we forgotten “Bring back our Girls”, “Black Lives Matter” and many other campaigns aimed at fighting terror and human rights abuse? You of all persons should understand that we must always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim and your silence only encourages the tormentor and not the tormented.
A life is lost, and a 14-year-old was shot in the apartment he called home.
Finally, in the words of Ann Marie Buerkle, “I’m passionate about people. I’ve spent my life in advocacy. People matter – whether or not we agree on the issue, people matter.”
Ekene Odigwe is a multiple award winning Nigerian talk show host and Radio & TV Content Developer. He is also a Human Rights & HIV Advocate and a 2016 BAF Media Justice fellow.
