Aid for Gay Rights is Gay

There is a new tune from the west- American liberals and British conservative governments are singing to the developing world. When these two divides think alike on an issue, then it is serious. They are all united in saying that gay rights are human rights and they will open their purse to nations who agree to dance to this tune.

Two watershed world conferences were held in the nineties, one in Beijing and the other in Cairo. The women met to count the gains of feminists’ movement in Beijing. The homosexuals and pro-gay movement met in Cairo Egypt as well. I now realize why they had to bring the conference to Africa and especially Egypt. Since then, the tide has been unstoppable both for women and gays.

I am not against gays, they can continue with the lifestyle as long as they don’t interfere with me. My basic knowledge of law is that my rights stop where your rights start. I have a problem with the West arm-twisting the third world to accept their culture.

As it has been the norm with other western ideals like democracy, human rights et al, the poor nations will follow South Africa in legalizing gay unions. Democracy has been practiced in the West for centuries, yet the third world countries were arm twisted to adopt democracy and perfect it instantly. The pressure to democratize and improve human rights came with the same aid tag. What will we be told to do next for aid?

African nations will make steps towards development the day we find a balance between adopting the positive attributes of the western society without losing who we are. The Asian tigers have achieved it the same way albeit without democracy. They are moving towards democracy slowly as they transition from second world into first world nations.

They kept their Asian culture of Confucius (moral order) and hard work while they adopted industrialization and free market economy of the west. You can only take in as much as your culture and social structures can accommodate. Africa is not ready for the liberal lifestyle of the west.


The greatest war you will fight in this world is to be you, to have your own identity. It is what pushes us to achieve great feats in life. That satisfaction that we made a difference in life. You can not do the same if you do not have an identity. It is this identity that the west will not let us have, for it will make us hard to manipulate. A bongo flava song Swanglish has a line- we are going into slavery without chains or bells.

Come to think of it- what has aid done for Africa? The same developed nations siphon back the aid through expensive supplies and expensive expatriate labour. If we apply the law of relativity, the aid comes at the western speed then it gets stifled by the third world bottle necks. By the time the systems clear, the plans have been overtaken by events creating a conducive atmosphere for corruption.

It is time Africa stood her ground in the face of such bullying. Recognizing gays or legislating pro-gay policies will not result in any meaningful social or economic change. We can do without aid if the West can work out the North- South trade imbalance. Why don’t they peg this gay rights arm twisting with progressive trade with the developing nations who will agree to it?


We have enough problems to look into, gays and homosexuals can wait- it is not an emergency!

© Since 1978