hoopsguy38
04-18-2009, 02:12 PM
I hope those who read this post can be objective about what I write and give me some helpful advice.
First, I know all about the scams and frauds that are so present in Nigeria. I have spent time there on two different occasions. I have four gay friends in Nigeria.
My Godson, who is a college student at Imo State University in Owerri, Nigeria, is a wonderful young man, and I am both his Godfather and his friend. It is his parents who refer to me as his Godfather. On my two trips to Nigeria in 2007 and 2008, I spent a lot of time with my friend, whose name is Ifeanyi. I also spent time with his family. I also spent a lot of time with my three other gay friends.
If you know anything about Nigeria, you know it is one of the most homophobic countries in the world. Gay people there, especially gay men I think, live in constant fear. Most of them live lives of loneliness, unhappiness, and fear of being found out. Their lives are one of privation and isolation.If they are found out to be gay, most often their family disowns them and kicks them out of the house. They are threatened with death. They are beaten. Besides my friend, I have three other great gay friends in Nigeria. They are truly courageous men. They are college graduates and have good jobs.
My friend Ifeanyi, who is naive and inexperienced, was invited to a party by another college student about a year ago. Ifeanyi had no idea it might be a gay party. He went, and it was all males, but they were just drinking and talking. Nothing sexual went on. The police broke in and one started shooting his gun. They yelled at the men and said they were all homosexual and did not deserve to live and that they were child molesters. The police took out their clubs and beat the men mercilessly, including my friend. He thinks they might have beaten one young man to death. They arrested all of the men and took them to jail where they were beaten by the other prisoners. They were given almost no food. Luckily my Ifeanyi's friend found out and paid the money to get him released. Of course it was just a bribe. Ever since then Ifeanyi has lived in even more fear and paranoia. I have pictures that show Ifeanyi's beatings and also letters describing in detail what happened.
A couple of months ago a college student invited Ifeanyi to his apartment. Ifeanyi said he could come over for a little bit but only for conversation. Soon after he was there four men broke in and tried to rape him. He grabbed a knife to fight them off and escaped.
One of my other friends in Lagos, Nigeria, was just walking down his street about two years ago talking on his cell phone. The police attacked him and accused him of being gay because he was talking on his cell phone to a white man. They beat him with their clubs, spit on him, cursed him, kicked him and knocked him to the ground. They made him take them back to his apartment where they did the same things to him and also hit him in the face with a gun. They arrested him and he was beaten too by the other prisoners. Friends raised money to pay the bail, which, once again, was just a bribe.
I am discussing this because I hope there is a member who might help my friend Ifeanyi get a visa to the U.S. He applied and was denied last September. He applied for a visa based on legitimate medical reasons, but the U.S. Embassy there makes it almost impossible to get a visa.
I hope that someone in Soulforce can help my friend and Godson get a visa to the U.S. Perhaps invite him to a religious conference. Or some other legitimate invitation.
I have even written to my local congressman for help. But the U.S. Embassy denied Ifeanyi again.
If Ifeanyi can get to the U.S., there are two lawyers in immigration I have spoken with who say they will help him get refugee status or asylum, and they will work for him pro bono.
I could tell you more horror stories about gay people in Nigeria.
Right now my Godson and I are moving to Ghana. We will move to Ghana toward the end of May, the second week of June. There he hopes to continue college, and we will try to get him refugee status in the U.S.
If anyone can help me, please let me know. My e mail is hoopsguy38@yahoo.com. I live in St. Petersburg, Florida, until May 15.
Thanks, Jerry
First, I know all about the scams and frauds that are so present in Nigeria. I have spent time there on two different occasions. I have four gay friends in Nigeria.
My Godson, who is a college student at Imo State University in Owerri, Nigeria, is a wonderful young man, and I am both his Godfather and his friend. It is his parents who refer to me as his Godfather. On my two trips to Nigeria in 2007 and 2008, I spent a lot of time with my friend, whose name is Ifeanyi. I also spent time with his family. I also spent a lot of time with my three other gay friends.
If you know anything about Nigeria, you know it is one of the most homophobic countries in the world. Gay people there, especially gay men I think, live in constant fear. Most of them live lives of loneliness, unhappiness, and fear of being found out. Their lives are one of privation and isolation.If they are found out to be gay, most often their family disowns them and kicks them out of the house. They are threatened with death. They are beaten. Besides my friend, I have three other great gay friends in Nigeria. They are truly courageous men. They are college graduates and have good jobs.
My friend Ifeanyi, who is naive and inexperienced, was invited to a party by another college student about a year ago. Ifeanyi had no idea it might be a gay party. He went, and it was all males, but they were just drinking and talking. Nothing sexual went on. The police broke in and one started shooting his gun. They yelled at the men and said they were all homosexual and did not deserve to live and that they were child molesters. The police took out their clubs and beat the men mercilessly, including my friend. He thinks they might have beaten one young man to death. They arrested all of the men and took them to jail where they were beaten by the other prisoners. They were given almost no food. Luckily my Ifeanyi's friend found out and paid the money to get him released. Of course it was just a bribe. Ever since then Ifeanyi has lived in even more fear and paranoia. I have pictures that show Ifeanyi's beatings and also letters describing in detail what happened.
A couple of months ago a college student invited Ifeanyi to his apartment. Ifeanyi said he could come over for a little bit but only for conversation. Soon after he was there four men broke in and tried to rape him. He grabbed a knife to fight them off and escaped.
One of my other friends in Lagos, Nigeria, was just walking down his street about two years ago talking on his cell phone. The police attacked him and accused him of being gay because he was talking on his cell phone to a white man. They beat him with their clubs, spit on him, cursed him, kicked him and knocked him to the ground. They made him take them back to his apartment where they did the same things to him and also hit him in the face with a gun. They arrested him and he was beaten too by the other prisoners. Friends raised money to pay the bail, which, once again, was just a bribe.
I am discussing this because I hope there is a member who might help my friend Ifeanyi get a visa to the U.S. He applied and was denied last September. He applied for a visa based on legitimate medical reasons, but the U.S. Embassy there makes it almost impossible to get a visa.
I hope that someone in Soulforce can help my friend and Godson get a visa to the U.S. Perhaps invite him to a religious conference. Or some other legitimate invitation.
I have even written to my local congressman for help. But the U.S. Embassy denied Ifeanyi again.
If Ifeanyi can get to the U.S., there are two lawyers in immigration I have spoken with who say they will help him get refugee status or asylum, and they will work for him pro bono.
I could tell you more horror stories about gay people in Nigeria.
Right now my Godson and I are moving to Ghana. We will move to Ghana toward the end of May, the second week of June. There he hopes to continue college, and we will try to get him refugee status in the U.S.
If anyone can help me, please let me know. My e mail is hoopsguy38@yahoo.com. I live in St. Petersburg, Florida, until May 15.
Thanks, Jerry