Stay off Nigeria, you gays and lesbians! It doesn’t matter where you were joined together in marriage: You’re not welcome to Africa’s most populous nation, says a new law just passed by the country’s lawmakers.

Today in Abuja, capital of Nigeria, the House of Representatives passed a bill forbidding same-sex marriage and imposed a 10 to 14 year jail term for anybody who violates the law.

Damning the West, which expressed strong disapproval of such a law, Nigeria’s lower house of parliament unanimously voted to approve the “Bill for an Act to Prohibit Marriage or Civil Union Entered Between Persons of Same Sex, Solemnization of Same and for Other Matters Related There With.”

The bill, expected to be signed into law by President Goodluck Jonathan, outrightly outlaws the solemnisation of marriage or civil union between persons of same sex in any place of worship or in any place in Nigeria.

The Senate which initiated the bill had earlier passed it in late 2011.

According to the bill, “Persons that entered into a same gender marriage or civil union contract commit an offense and are jointly liable on conviction to a term of 14 years imprisonment each.”

That is not all, for “any person, who registers, operates or participates in gay clubs, societies and organisations or directly or indirectly make a public show of same sex amorous relationship commits an offence and shall be liable to a term of 10 years imprisonment.”

The bill also prescribes 10 years in jail for “any persons or group of persons that administer witness, abet, screen, shield and aid the solemnization of a same sex marriage contract or civil union or supports the registration of gay clubs, societies and organizations, processions or meetings in Nigeria.”

The bill voids any marriage or civil union consummated between persons of same gender by virtue of a certificate issued in a foreign country.

•Photo: House of Reps Speaker, Aminu Tambuwal.

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