Changing Attitude Nigeria achieved national awareness today by having an article published in the Daily Sun, Nigeria’s national mass circulation newspaper. The article confronts the Primate of All Nigeria, Archbishop Peter Akinola, with the reality of gay and lesbian worshippers in Anglican churches across Nigeria. It reminds the church of the commitment made by the Primates, including Archbishop Akinola, to listen to the experience of homosexual persons in each province and reflect on these matters.

Changing Attitude Nigeria has become the fourth national CA network. It joins the network established in 1995 in England and subsequently in New Zealand and Scotland. Changing Attitude’s newest network was formed in August by Davis Mac-Iyalla, 33. Davis was at one time the administrator for the office of the Rt. Rev. Prof I Ugede, late bishop of Otukpo diocese. He is a knight and lay reader and was principal of the diocesan school but the education board felt it was not proper for a gay man head the school and sacked him.

The network is working to make lesbian and gay Anglicans visible and heard in every Nigerian diocese. Groups are already meeting in Port Harcourt, Lagos and Abuja, where the headquarters of the Church are located. Already 120 gay men and lesbians are meeting and planning the group’s first General Meeting in Abuja on November 26 and 27.

Davis Mac-Iyalla, leader of Changing Attitude Nigeria, described the move by the Most Reverend Peter Akinola to sever relationship with the Church of England “as more political than religious. Jesus’ teaching is about love and care. If Jesus treated the converts this way, he would not have converted Matthew, the tax collector and Mary the harlot. What the Archbishop should have done is to meet with us, know our feelings and appreciate us for whom we are. That way we can be well integrated into society.”

He continued “Let society change their attitudes towards gays and lesbians. You have them in every sector in Nigeria, even in government. It is just that they are hidden because of the contempt the society has for them and it is the church that can lead the campaign for the change of attitude towards us.”

Changing Attitude England is a national organisation of Bishops, Priests and Lay People in the Church of England calling for the full inclusion of lesbian and gay people in the Anglican Church. Changing Attitude has a network of 20 groups in 22 dioceses working to support lesbian and gay clergy and lay people and for a radical change in church attitudes by witnessing to the local church through personal testimony, education and providing information.

As a founder member of Inclusive Communion, Changing Attitude is pledged to work for the full inclusion of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people in every Province of the Anglican Communion.

For further information please contact

Davis Mac-Iyalla, Director of Changing Attitude Nigeria
Tel: +234 8025866133
email: davis@nigeria.changingattitude.org