“Sir Richard Branson, an English business magnate best known for his Virgin Group of more than 400 companies, on Monday, got perhaps the harshest words from fans after he critically blogged about Nigeria’s anti gay law on his “Virgin Blog”.
Branson blogged that it was sad to learn that Nigeria, at this age, passed a law to put gays behind bars – “just for being gays” – for 14 years. He, like other popular Britons including the British Prime Minister, David Cameron, openly condemned Nigeria’s anti-gay stand even at the risk of the anger of Nigerians who popularly support the law.
“Like everyone else in society, gay people have an enormous amount to offer and Nigeria should embrace them not prosecute them,” Branson, who once owned Nigeria’s national airline, said.
“All of us with influence in Nigeria must do what we can to stop this cruel law. I would urge educated Nigerians all over the world to do what they can to help fight this discrimination.”
He described the law as “sad, repressive and cruel” but that did not go down well with his Nigerian fans, it instead sparked a verbal war of sorts between Nigerians and Brits on his blog. Branson was not also spared as fans verbally attacked his personality.
“He claims to support gays yet he’s married with kids. As much as I love your person I think you’ve crossed the line here. Mind your own business,”Efe-Ogege Olusegun commented.
“Richard, you got it wrong this time. It’s a clear mandate from the Nigerians – meaning they don’t want gay. If you really care about Nigeria, there are various issues in the country that you and the so called educated Nigerians attend to not the gay law,” Eagle-Eye GP, a student of the Obafemi Awolowo University replied on the blog.
“Sir Richard Branson, Nigeria just like every other African country has chosen to do what we think is best for us and we owe no one apologies for it,” Adedeji Adoyin posted. . .”-Daily Times Nigeria has the full story.
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