Bolu Okupe, the gay son of former presidential spokesman, Doyin Okupe, has said he would not disrespect his father over the latter’s anti-gay comments.
Bolu, who lives in France, became the focus of media attention in Nigeria during the week when he openly came out as gay.
His father in two separate Facebook posts described his son’s sexual orientation as anti-Christ and a “spiritual challenge” that was at variance with his own Christian beliefs.
Bolu said he would not disrespect his father over the critical comments.
He said he has been able to enjoy the good things of life because of his father’s hard work and would therefore not denigrate him.
However, he stated that being gay was not anti-Christ as claimed by his father.
Asked how he felt about his father comments, Bolu Okupe told Sunday Punch, “I will just say that I love and appreciate every one of my family members, my father inclusive, because if not for him, I definitely would not be able to live the life that I currently live. So, I will never utter anything disrespectful (to him) on any platform.
“With regard to homosexuality being anti-Christ, this is not incorrect, as many have pointed out to me.
“It is clearly forbidden in the Bible; however, I would like to also mention that there are a lot of things that are also forbidden in the Bible that many Christians partake in. So, it confuses me why people of the Christian religion feel like they can pick and choose what to be morally superior about.”
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While insisting that he did not choose to be gay, Bolu Okupe said he has no regrets coming out as one.
He expressed confidence that the Same Sex Marriage (Prohibition) Act assented to by the Goodluck Jonathan administration in January 2014 would be repealed.
“I do not have any regrets about coming out. Whether people like it or not, it (the law) has started a discussion on this topic within the Nigerian atmosphere that was necessary.
“Being gay is not “Western” or “European.” There are many gay people in Nigeria, they just do not have the ability to openly live that way due to fear of criticism and judgments similar to the reactions that I received.
“I hope one day homosexuality can be decriminalised in Nigeria. However, I know that we have a long way to go before we get there.”