Updated Monday 3 April
Changing Attitude has just published three four press releases, resulting from a recent meeting in Geneva, where Colin Coward met Davis MacIyalla and held extended discussions with him. (The background to this was the ILGA Conference.)
Davis MacIyalla describes his work with Bishop Ugede in the Diocese of Otukpo
Nigerian Same Sex Marriage Prohibition Act introduced to House of Representatives
Davis MacIylla reports suspicions of Anglican Church involvement with new bill
In the first of these, it is reported that Davis MacIyalla is known personally to various senior church officials in Nigeria, including Archbishop and Mrs Akinola. The press release asks:
A further challenge to Canon Akintunde Popoola
In the press release issued on 28 December 2005 Canon Akintunde Popoola maintained that he had consulted over 6,000 clergy and none of them knew of Davis MacIyalla. We would now like to ask whether he contacted the people named by Davis in this report, including the Primate of All Nigeria, the Most Revd Peter J Akinola and his wife. Canon Popoola’s denial that Davis was a member of the Anglican Church is all the more remarkable given Davis’s deep involvement in the life of the Church of Nigeria from his earliest years and more recently in the Diocese of Otukpo.
In the third release the personal danger to individuals is discussed. Changing Attitude had also written its own open letter to the Archbishop of Canterbury and others, concerning this matter last February.
Update
A fourth release: Nigerian gay representatives meet officer at Nigerian Human Rights Commission. This makes further grim reading.
Estimado Canon Tunde (Popoola),
Do you still have “better things to do” than to discuss and report your factless “truths” here at Thinking Anglicans (and beyond) about Davis and our other Anglican LGBT brothers/sisters at the church of Nigera?
Do you lie intentionally Tunde or are you following specific “instructions” or a anti-gay “party line” from your Archbishop and his accomplices?
Why do you generate fear, anger and hate against the LGBT people of Nigeria Tunde?
Are you capable of being honest with yourself and with us?
“Davis has sources close to the centre of Church affairs in Abuja who report that Canon Popoola and Archbishop Akinola initiated the idea of the bill and persuaded the government to take it forward. This is an unconfirmed report, but if true, would show that it is indeed the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) which is behind this premeditated attack on the most basic rights of LGBT Nigerians.” IF TRUE… Canon Tunde Popoola owes us all an explanation. If Davis’s allegations are true, then ++Peter Abuja is also in violation of the 1998 Lambeth Resolution and the Windsor Report. Both… Read more »
The Truth begins to come out: “He was told that he had to hand over the administration of the school to the diocesan board and there were a series of allegations against him… …., Davis went on holiday to Port Harcourt.†(600km away) Hmmm.
He is with his sponsors now seeking asylum. ‘Afraid of arrest for what? a law not yet in existence or ?? “
Read the Disclaimer again. Everyone is free to heed or disregard it. I still stand by everything it says.
It is difficult to reach any final judgment of the particular pros or cons of the stated case related to Mr. MacIyalla – especially from the other side of the planet. We are much firmer ground when it comes to weighing the likely effects of the harsh new laws – as well as of viglante activities – in Nigeria itself, upon the LGBTQ citizens. Indeed, the west has as deep a legacy of violence against LGBTQ citizens as anywhere. (Just see the report on police violence against LGBTQ citizens by Amnesty International. http://www.amnestyusa.org/outfront/document.do?id=ENGAMR510432006 The whole idea of basic human rights… Read more »
As before, Canon Popoola reacts by insinuating that Davis MacIyalla isn’t telling the truth. The Director of Communications for the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) deals with information provided by other people (myself and Davis MacIyalla) by snide insinuation. In responding on Thinking Anglicans in this way, he provides further evidence of the lack of integrity, authority, and ability to respond effectively in his role. This is not the way Christians behave. Instead of answering questions properly put to him, he attacks Davis, a gay Nigerian Anglican. I ask Canon Popoola for an answer to a perfectly proper question. Did… Read more »
The Nigerian government and those who backed the development of the new legislation might have done more to promote human rights for homosexuals (including by religious castes) than anything LGBT could have done for themselves. Inadvertently, they are have raised Davis to the level of a global modern-day LGBT “Zorro”. It could easily be said that the legislation was developed specifically in response to embarassment and frustration triggered by the November 2005 conference (which could easily have been triggered by the underhanded attack on Rowan Williams). Davis played a major role in preparing that fateful conference for nearly 1000 “non-existent”… Read more »
“Read the Disclaimer again. Everyone is free to heed or disregard it. I still stand by everything it says.” Reverend Sir– It is logically inconsistent for you to make insinuations about anything Mr. Maciyalla says when the necessary reconciliation between your account and that of Mr. Maciyalla makes one or the other of you liars. Mr. Maciyalla has provided a great deal of confirmatory details, including his stay in the home of the Primate and attendance at breakfast hosted by his wife (and this just the most notable). And yet I am surprised that you fixate on the details most… Read more »
I think Nigeria appears to be becoming a place where LGB people are simply not able to live safely. The Church has helped – actively – to create this situation.
And yet there are still people who want to be in communion with them? Why?
Mike, my answer to your question is that I met some amazing lesbian and gay Anglican Nigerians last week at the ILGA Conference. They are committed Anglicans. The only future for them is a Nigerian Church and State that becomes safe for LGBT people to live and worship openly. They want our support in working courageously towards this goal. I for one am very, very happy to give them whatever support is possible, which among other things means for me remaining in communion both with them and with those who are seeking to drive them out.
Mike There are some of us who stay with the Anglican Communion because of its long history. Also, you can’t always run away from your problems, especially if you have a theological paradigm that has a missionary vision to instill homophobic values across all the Christian faith (remember theological colleges do not teach to just one denomination). For many years I used to flee from trouble and was tormented by dreams of tsunamis and storms. Then one day I had a dream that one has to face the “bow wave” of change and that the safest way to get through… Read more »
And continuing on, Mike. How much longer will there be places of refuge? When one listens to moderate Muslims talk about how violent shepherds were able to take control of the public image of Islam (at least on the US airwaves), one hears them saying that it first started with their religious educators a few hundred years ago. The phenomenom of an ultra-puritan branch becoming cancerous and taking over the whole religion is not new and we are seeing the early stages in Christianity now. We also know from the bible that God can and does intervene to stop one… Read more »
Canon Popoola and the Church of Nigeria should be ashamed of themselves!
SHAME? Definitely NOT. For what? Maintaining the validity of the Holy Scriptures or for issuing a warning concerning someone who will soon reveal his true picture? NO! Cannot and will not feel any shame for that. I might however become ashamed of the disclaimer the day the Bishop of Otukpo calls and says Davis has cleared himself of all financial allegations and was all along, actually very innocent. It is a pity; legal advice is preventing me from making Colin’s requested ‘evidences’ available. A bit frustrating for me as the Church is not interested in prosecuting and with Davis out… Read more »
Gloating over the anticipated consequences of military or political manouvres is not prophecy in the sense that they are not manifestations of Acts of God, but the consequences of seeds sown by men and done for men. Otherwise, it could be said that Hitler was a prophet as he forsaw the murdering of millions of Jews and other unworthies in Baal-like human sacrificing practices.
No. Cheryl, I am not gloating over that. I am only drawing attention to one of the points raised in the disclaimer. I find it difficult to believe Davis’ Geneva trip was funded from Nigeria. He will only return to Nigeria if assured the “tap of support†will remain open. My own sources told me the whole CA Nigeria issue was targeting a London conference late last year which he could not attend again. My taking notice of him coupled with the proposed act has only made the goal of ‘greener pastures’ easier to achieve I was told. And please… Read more »
“It is a pity; legal advice is preventing me from making Colin’s requested ‘evidences’ available.” Tunde Yes Tunde, pitiful does come to mind when fully comprehending you and your endless and factless snitty/dodging references/explanations to questions about the TRUTH and/or any actual facts/realities/proofs to the inflamatory smears YOU make against Davis Maciyalla. Pitiful indeed is the work of the public representative/mouthpiece for Akinola and the Province of Nigeria. Makes me wonder if encouraging discrimination and hate against LGBT Christians and the telling of lies about them is the current “leadership” policy “mission” at the Anglican Church Nigeria. A dangerous “pity”… Read more »
Tunde, Sir Davis MacIyalla is continuing to reveal a true picture of himself as he describes to me and other people his involvement with the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion).It is very different from the picture you have attempted to present in your disclaimer of 28 December 2005. Davis is a life-long Anglican, born into an Anglican family, baptised and confirmed an Anglican, a lay reader and a knight of the Church. His involvement with Bishop I Ugede in Otukpo has been well-documented by Changing Attitude, amply supported by photographic evidence. We will publish further photographs shortly. Davis continues to… Read more »
Dear Tunde, I have not directed any post to you before, so I apologize if I am coming out of the blue. Quick question: Archbishop Akinola has endorsed the legislation, and I assume that you also support it. Were the bill enacted — as it appears it will be — would you and the Archbishop support someone’s imprisonment should he or she spoke out in defense of homosexuality within Nigeria’s borders? This, to me, is the test. Whether Mr. Mac-Iyalla is a practicing Anglican, whether he financially defrauded his bishop and married and left his bishop’s daughter, and whether he… Read more »
Genocidal regimes do not come out of the blue. There are warning indicators that lead to such dynamics. There are those who are committed to preventing atrocities such as Rwanda, Auschwitz, Cambodia. We have learnt from history that certain groups are the early targets because they are seen as unwanted and therefore people will ignore the abuses against that group – these are typically the disabled, homosexuals, Jews, and small local ethnic minorities. Those of us who are committed to preventing the rise of future genocidal regimes, will work towards building the spiritual, intellectual, political and psychological models to empower… Read more »
Matt. Please wait for that time. For now, we still see homosexuality as an aberration and therefore will not encourage it in any way. Preaching or speaking against the punishment of such behaviour can give a wrong indication of accepting, or even encouraging the unacceptable. Lambeth 1.10 says “listen to experience†not “encourage the behaviour†Like many priests, I have listened to the experience of many people including the depressed, prostitutes, thieves, physically challenged, drunks, unloved etc. I hardly (maybe due to my schedule) had to go out looking for them. They come to the Church for help and are… Read more »
Dear Tunde, Thank you for your reply. No one can afford to “wait for that time”, since by then it would be too late for anyone in Nigeria to legally complain about the bill. I support an individual’s right to oppose gay marriage, and I will take no public stance on whether gay marriage is a “human right.” So let’s leave that aside for now. What is at issue is the other content of the legislation, which would violate a set of civil rights outlined in the Nigerian Constitution (Sections 135 and 137). The Living Church quotes you on Feb… Read more »
Something about the consequences of this proposed legislations:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/4880592.stm
Canon Popoola, you are making a category error. Lesbian and gay people come into the same category as heterosexuals. This is our human identity. Five of the six on your list fall into different categories. Becoming a prostitute or a thief is something a person chooses to do or is forced into. Depression, alcoholism and being unloved have complex origins but are sad or even tragic conditions from which people may be able to rise from or escape. To be a thief is to do engage in an activity which is sinful and against the law. Tunde, you might think… Read more »
Dear Canon Tunde, peace and love. First you said I did not exist but it is good as now the world knows that Davis is real. You also claimed i broke up an engagement with the bishop daughter. Well you have still not named her as Ugede has 4 boys and 5 girls and only one is married. In one of your emails to Colin you claimed to have met Mrs Ugede. Is she the person who told you I was engage to her child? I still stand on my point that I have no reason to visit Otukpo now… Read more »
Another REVELATION: (or well just a confirmation of the fact that Davis was not known to be a Gay in Otukpo. ) “The present bishop of Otukpo was ordained in St Cyprian Anglican church in Port Harcourt and people came from Otukpo as you know very well. Why is it that no-one lay a complaint about me until I came out from my closet?â€
Did someone forget his entry sympathy was based on his statements that he was sacked because of his homosexuality?
Colin, Thanks for your post. We are finally back to the basics. Our understanding of homosexuality. We differ on that, and I am just like you in not willing to budge. Davis, Glad to engage you in public view without fear of being misunderstood. No! I did not tell you to stop CAN. My Archbishop is the President of CAN. Neither did I ask you to stop your organisation as I am yet to be convinced it really exists exists beyond the pictures of you entertaining the Muslim and non-Anglican figures behind two earlier established Nigerian homosexual groups.( I pray… Read more »
No dear Tunde, we are not misunderstanding you. Sadly enough.
I hear scorn and denigration.
“I only accepted your existence…”
“I impress on you…”
No, you don’t. I am not “impressed”. Do come down from your high horses!
Tunde ; frankly, I couldn’t care less about your personal spat with any other individual.
I do care about your homophobia and the evil which your Church does towards my gay and lesbian brothers and sisters in Nigeria.
You sum up everything which is wrong with the church and why we should want nothing to do with your province.
You are wrong when you say my entry was to gain sympathy for myself, this is just one of your many tactics. I was sacked, yes, because of my homosexuality, but I have never used it to seek for sympathy anywhere. I only answer to the Windsor report and the listening process after my contact with Colin. Sorry if my statement sound offensive. Canon Tunde are you telling the world you have no idea about the crisis in the diocese of Otukpo and how Archbishop Akinola himself came to settle the problem without result? If Asylum will help me to… Read more »
Thank you Davis for posting here. It is quite clear to anyone reading any of this that the Church in Nigeria simply refuses to admit that there are any lesbian/gay/bisexual Nigerian Anglicans. Confronted with this truth and with their clear desire to be in church, clerics like Tunde and his boss Akinola respond with lies, threats, obfuscation, comparisons of lesbigays with criminals, and proposed laws to discriminate. Nothing Tunde has stated to try to slander you is in anyway credible. The more he speaks on this the larger and more ridiculous his lies become. The only ones he convinces with… Read more »
Dear Davis, How was Palm Sunday? “…he at regular times gave me money for safe keeping.” Thanks for confirming you handled cash in addition to all your other functions in the school and church. Assumed the cashier for the school and wardens in the church were supposed to do that. Like most of your friends, you are focusing on your activities with the late bishop. Much of those, I believe. The disclaimer was careful enough to explain the reason behind his trust in you. It was also concerned about your inactivity in 2004 and 2005. Neither the late Diocesan nor… Read more »
GKS, Sorry, I was off the horses for past 3 months. Some would not let me be and went to town to proclaim my having nothing to say
MM, RMF, In my place there is a saying ‘Otito koro’ which literally translates to ‘the truth is bitter’
Tunde,
In the U.S. we have many favorite sayings too, one of the ones we hear most often is, “practice what you preach.”
I will simply reiterate what Father Colin stated in another entry above:
“I want to know how the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) is responding to every section of Lambeth 1.10 and the Windsor Report.”
Canon Popoola, My only knowledge of Davis MacIyalla is what I have read. I must look at the reliability of the information. You are currently in support of legislation which, if passed, will result in severe persecution of gay people in your country. Whatever your position on gay people, fostering the persecution of anyone is simply not Christian. That you can do this means that you do not support basic Christian values, no matter what Scripture you quote. You should react to such laws with the same revulsion you feel for homosexuals. You are repulsed because you believe homosexuality to… Read more »