Five years after he was forced to
leave Nigeria for the United Kingdom following threats to his life,
Nigeria’s first openly gay preacher and the founder of House of Rainbow
Fellowship, a Christian community for sexual minorities and marginalised
people, Reverend Jide Macaulay, has been ordained a Deacon of the
Anglican Church on Sunday in Chelmsford, United Kingdom.
Says Ordination A Source Of Hope For Sexual Minorities
The Bishop of Chelmsford, the Right Reverend Stephen Cotterel, will hold the ordination service at the Chelmsford Cathedral.
Reverend
Macaulay will serve as the Curate in the East Ham Parish, London. He is
believed to have inspired many ethnic minority people in the Newham
area of London when in 2000 he played Jesus in 2000 Newham Millennium
Passion Play.
In an exclusive interview with PREMIUM TIMES,
Reverend Macaulay says his ordination is a source of hope for sexual
minorities. He also spoke about his experience in Nigeria, the future of
House of Rainbow fellowship and the recently passed anti-gay bill by
the National Assembly.
PT: Congratulations on your
ordination into the Anglican Communion. What does this mean for our
readers, especially sexual minorities in Africa?
Rev:
Thanks for the well wishes. My ordination into the Anglican Communion is
an important continuation of my call to parish ministry, to reach out
to all people regardless of who they are. I believe whilst my ordination
is not anything new to the church, for me it is both relevant on the
state of persecution and righteous living for sexual minorities. My
message to all people especially Lesbians, Gays, Bisexuals and
Transgender people of faith and none is to hold on to their dreams and
hopes in the face of hardship, God is a good God and loves all people.
PT:
Tell us about the role you played in the Newham Millennium Passion Play
“A light in the Darkness” and how it has helped to change your life?
Rev:
I played the character of “Jesus” in the passion play, which was staged
outdoor throughout the London Borough of Newham in 2000, this alone did
not change my life but nonetheless was a single contribution to
enhancing my relationship with the Anglican Church and more so with my
Christian faith.
The audition and rehearsal started late 1999 to
early 2000. Reverend Father Steven Saxby, a Curate at St Bartholomew at
the time, immediately became my mentor and friend, who also played a
crucial part as my spiritual leader and advisor.
Playing Jesus
gave me the opportunity to experience the hardship he went through and
to understand the love that he has for the world. Jesus even at his
death said “Father forgive them”. Often I feel that playing Jesus in
such a public way allowed me to connect with my own pains and those
inflicted on me and at the same time be able to acknowledge the spirit
of forgiveness and reconciliation.
Now that you are fully ordained Deacon in the Anglican Church, what happens to the House Of Rainbow Fellowship?
My
ordination with the Anglican Communion does not extinguish the passion
for inclusive theology and ministry for the marginalized. As an Anglican
minister, my duties are carried forward to continue to reach out to
people on the margins and that also means an understanding of the aims
and objectives of House Of Rainbow and how the universal church may
benefit from the extra ordinary work in hostile regions with
marginalised people.
I am encouraged by those who supported my
ministry and efforts towards ordination and have urged me to remain true
to the call of God and particularly with a passion to ensure that there
is room at the communion table for sexual minorities. House Of Rainbow
continues to develop independently as a support group with 10 active
groups in six countries, managed by 15 Volunteer Local Leaders.
What happened to House Of Rainbow in 2008 and what were the core reasons for leaving Nigeria?
2008
was a very busy year for House Of Rainbow and the ministry was at the
height of its popularity as we have become a household name in Nigeria,
particularly well known for its inclusive welcome of marginalised
communities. We stood for change, peace and reconciliation, however,
violence was thrust upon us as a community and many people,
organisations and the media were simply looking for “dirt” about us. In
February, I was ambushed by the media in Abuja at the Africa Sexuality
Conference.
In March/April the newspapers were filled with
sensational headlines, by July we have had many more “undercover
reporters” joined us and started to record and take photographs. By
August/September, we received unprecedented hostile media coverage,
increased violence and numerous death threats.
Those who attacked
us used this for their own gains. After the second year anniversary
celebration of House Of Rainbow in Lagos, I went to Abuja for several
meetings and when I returned to Lagos, the environment became extremely
hostile and the Board of House Of Rainbow decided it was time we
re-strategise.
I was advised to return to London for my own safety
and we moved the ministry underground to make it safer for those who
attend. House Of Rainbow since 2006 has always remained an active
ministry in Nigeria with three active groups.
What does
your family, especially your father think of your sexual orientation and
would he be attending your ordination in the Anglican Church in
England?
My family like any family first struggled with
the knowledge of me being gay, of course it is not about me that they
first worry but the prejudice and potential discrimination that both
myself and my family had to endure after coming out as gay. The fear of
me being gay was superseded by the unconditional love of my parents that
held the family in one love.
Unfortunately being in public life
and religious ministry has not helped in dealing with this privately. I
personally would not have it any other way; I am proud to be gay and of
Nigerian descent, with the love of my parents I continue to excel as a
son who just happens to be homosexual. For most of my family members I
am mostly loved and supported, they are not ashamed of me.
My achievements and ordination would be celebrated with my entire family and especially with my dad by my side.
What do you think of the Nigerian anti-same sex marriage bill recently passed in the parliament?
I
think that the anti same sex marriage bill in Nigeria has gone too far,
many Nigerians are concerned; especially to Human Right defenders and
gay activists it makes no sense.
Nigeria should look at
progressive constitutions around the world that are inclusive of sexual
minorities. Homosexuality was never a foreign import and there is
nothing to be afraid of, only if they can focus on getting to know the
gay people and seeking our opinions.
I believe that the Nigerian
legislators should focus on laws against discrimination and not laws
that punish private sexual relationship between two consenting adults.
Unfortunately, the Nigeria systems allows for many institutions to
lawfully discriminate against sexual minorities and sadly this bill will
and more likely punish innocent people, such as innocent parents and
other family members, sexual health providers and proprietors of single
gendered institutions.
Nigerians should seek to get to know gays
and lesbians amongst us; no one wakes up in the morning and chooses to
be gay or lesbian knowing the hatred that will follow.
It is a
shame in my opinion with all the education and educated people in
Nigeria, the last bastion the government can produce is an anti same sex
marriage bill. I am not convinced this bill is the way forward. God
bless Nigeria.
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1 John 4:17 says, "…As He is, so are we in
this world." As He is love, so are you also called to walk in love. As
He has loved you, so are you meant to love Him and those for whom Jesus
died.
I want you to mark the expression in our
opening verse above—"the wisdom of the righteous." The verse says we’re
to turn the hearts of the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous,
which means the righteous have a certain kind of wisdom.