Samoa Agreement: Between Truth And Propaganda

Ali Abubakar Sadiq

Daily Trust broke the story and defenders of government and it’s policies debunked it (A senator, Ministers and even a leading legal organization). The Daily Trust report hinted of clauses importing the defense and promotion of LGBTQ rights enshrined within the said “Samoa Agreement”.

This article is not to defend either side but dive into the document and bring to the fore the notable facts, that indeed there is such an agreement, (the Samoa Declaration) and bring forth all the relevant articles within the same document associated with LGBTQ and leave you, the reader, to ascertain for yourselves whether there is an issue or not.

On the 15th of November, 2023 the European Union (EU) and it’s member states signed a new partnership agreement (referred to as the “Samoa Agreement”) with member states of the Organization of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS) in Apia, the capital of tiny South Pacific state. Nigeria rushed on to sign the new partnership agreement, unlike 30 other member states of the OACPS that refused to sign sighting the need to carry the document back home and check, specifically the clauses on same-sex relations and sexual health and rights, to see whether they are legally compatible with their laws and culture. The number one question here is why did Minister Bugudu on behalf of the Federal Government of Nigeria, refused to gave Nigerians such benefit and rushed to become signatory?

The good news for those opposing the signing of the document by Nigeria is the provision of Article 98 of the same document (Negotiated Agreement) which says the current provisional application will end when the new agreement enters into force only after the EU and two-thirds of the OACPS members have ratified it (i.e deposited the instrument expressing their consent to be bound). This means Nigeria, if it so wish, could back out of the agreement.

Now let’s look at the contentious articles, beginning with the foundational agreement, which saw many ACP states being reluctant to see the mention of ‘Sexual orientation and Gender identity” (another name for LGBTQ) in the agreement. The opposition worked and it wasn’t mentioned. This is a clear indicator that the agreement since it’s conception has as its top agenda the promotion of LGBTQ rights. Despite removing the LGBTQ rights, one could see it smuggled through the back door. Because of the 6 key priority areas of the Samoa Agreement, human rights is on top, ahead of democracy and governance.

During the draft, the chapter on human rights calls for explicit list of human rights discriminations that should be combated which includes, number one, sexual (sexual and reproductive rights) followed by ethnic and religious rights. On the sexual rights, article 36.2 of the Samoa Agreement says “The parties commit to full and effective implementation of the Beijing Declaration..on population and development and their outcomes of their review conference and commit to sexual and reproductive health and rights, in that context”. The task is to understand what ‘sexual and reproductive rights” means. Who is in a better position to define the meaning of “sexual and reproductive rights” than the initiator, convener and financier of the Samoa Agreement? Hear the EU definition of sexual and reproductive rights “Each individual has the right to have full control over and decide freely and responsibly on matters affecting their sexuality and sexual and reproductive health, free from discrimination, coercion and violence, to lead healthy lives and to participate in the economy and in social and political life”

Does LGBTQ appear to you out of the apparition of those words? The definition is saying in other words, you may be born a male, but somewhere along the road you wanted to become a woman “you have the right to have full control on matters affecting your sexuality (being male or female). And to be free without coercion in your sexual affairs (be gay or lesbian) and have rights over your sexual reproductive health (perform abortion).
This is what appears to be enshrined into the Samoa Agreement which over 30 countries from Africa and the Caribbeans refused to went headlong and sign, but Nigeria became a signatory last June. Should such decision, which would affect present and future generations be left to a handful of people that do not even have time to properly study the document before committing over 200 million people and hundreds of millions yet unborn?

A sigh of relief is on the offing as the House of representative just passed a motion initiated by member Ali Sani Madaki (Dala, Kano), stopping the Federal Government on going ahead with the ratification of the treaty.

Dear reader, it is now up to you to decide, based on the foregone submission, whether the Samoa Agreement truly promotes the LGBTQ agenda as critics are saying, or the Federal Government is right by signing the agreement believing there is no issue of LGBTQ on the said document.

Disclaimer: This piece represents the opinion of the writer not that of Blaze Newz Nigeria