are reporting that the Same Sex Marriage . . . Act 2006 seems stalled in the Nigerian House of Representatives. This, apparently, does not mean that the bill will not pass; but there seems to be hope that it will die after elections currently scheduled to take place on April 21. I think the following paragraph from the Changing Attitude press release is particularly interesting.

What we are hearing from CAN members in Anglican congregations in Nigeria is that the church leaders have been feeling big pressure on them and some are very angry because they expected the bill to be voted on prior to the end of this session. There are also rumours that money has exchanged hands, American money, and yet it has not proved easy for the Anglican Church leaders to push the bill through the House of Representatives. Corruption remains widespread at every level of Nigerian society. (emphasis added)

And I wonder who in the United States might be interested in pushing this bill through the Nigerian House.

At the same time, Ruth Gledhill reports she has spoken with a friend of the Archbishop of Nigeria who argues that Archbishop Akinola has been demonized in the western press, “There is a demonisation of Peter Akinola taking place which really is not fair, and sits very ill at ease with the remembrances on the abolition of slavery,” said Gledhill’s informant referring to the current bicentenary celebration going on in Britain; “It seems that Africans are to be welcomed and apologised to, unless we happen to disagree with them.”

Gledhill is aware, as well, that one aspect of this story which has had scant attention in the west is the Same Sex Marriage Act’s possible relation to fears within Nigeria that coming elections might result in an expansion of the sway of Islamic Law. Three somewhat different takes on prospects for the coming elections in Nigeria may be found here, here, and here.