Top Nigerian gays, lesbians, transgenders

Ranging from homosexuals, lesbians and recently, transgenders, the country can boast of them in their numbers. But there are some who are more pronounced than others.

The likes of Bisi Alimi, Miss SaHHara, Stephanie Rose and Rev. Jide Macaulay are some of those who have decided to lead their lives away from what many think should be.

Pulse brings you the most popular gays, lesbians and transgenders from Nigeria.

Bisi Alimi

Bisi Alimi is by far the most popular Nigerian-born homosexual, and he is very proud of his status. He was about the first Nigerian man to come out in public to declare his status as a gay man in 2004 when he appeared on national television as guest on Funmi Iyanda's New Dawn with Funmi, a talk show on the Nigerian Television Authority, and confirmed his sexuality as a homosexual and asked for social acceptance from the public.

His decision to come out of the closet generated potential love interests and death threats, and Alimi was disowned by his family and most of his friends and that led him to flee the country to the United Kingdom where he later applied for and was granted protection asylum in 2008.

Since then, Alimi who is also living with HIV, has not looked back as he is a very vocal advocate of the rights of homosexuals and lesbians.

In 2014, Alimi was named one of the most influential gays in the world by World Pride Power List 2014, coming in at the 77th position.

Born in the Mushin area of Lagos, Bisi attended Eko Boys’ High School, in Lagos, and graduated in 1993.

He is an HIV consultant and on global LGBT advocacy.

Rev. Jide Macaulay

Rev. Jide Macaulay caused a stir when he founded the first gay church in Nigeria called House of Rainbow Church.

The church which drew the ires of Nigerians and had him scampering out of the country when the heat was too much on him, put the son of a staunch man of God and Professor of Theology, Augustus Olakunle Macaulay, in the limelight and he has not looked back since then.

He does not hide his contempt for anyone who thinks he is living a life that is doomed as he uses Bible quotations to support his gay lifestyle, even accepting that he is better than those who claim to know God.

He takes every opportunity to call on Western nations like the USA to stop giving aids to Nigeria until same sex marriage and the rights of gays and lesbians are recognized.

He was very vociferous when the former President Goodluck Jonathan signed the Anti-Gay Bill into law in Nigeria and led several protests in London against the law.

Kenny 'Brandmuse' Badmus

Kehinde Badmus is known better as Brandmuse, going by his prowess in branding and copywriting. He even runs a school, the Orange Academy which has successfully churned out professionals in the field but he makes this list after he came out to decalre his homosexual and HIV status last year.

Since then, Brandmuse who had been married for several years, has not looked back, as he takes every opportunity to tell the whole world how happy he is as a gay man.

Recently, he took to his Facebook to pour out his relief thus:

"When I come back to this world, if I'm allowed (don't laugh, some come back as goats and some as Donald Trump), I'd like to come back as a gay man. This time around, I would ensure my parents saw it in my forehead.

I wouldn't hide in the crowd. I wouldn't live in anyone's shadows. I would date men in the open. Someone like Babangida or someone as cute as Justin Fashanu. I would try my best to avoid 'risky sex' in the secret that might lead to being infected with STI and HIV.

There wouldn't be any shame in my game. And when I joined Facebook, I would put it in my cover picture.

CAUTION: This guy is gay! gay!! gay!!! Bigots beware. And my name? It would be 'Gay-hin-de'.

Aderonke Apata

Aderonke Apata was once married but along the line, she found out that she had feelings for women and came out of the closet, declaring that she wants to live her life as a lesbian.

After allegedly suffering persecution, she fled to the United Kingdom to seek asylum and over the years, she became one of Nigeria's most vocal lesbian.

She was involved in a bitter battle to stay in the UK after the authorities vowed to deport her back to her country. She did everything to convince the UK Home Office that she was truly a lesbian, including recording herself while having sex with her female partner and sending them to the Home Office, sending love letters sent to her by female lovers as well as vowing to engage in lesbian sex right at the Office.

The 48-years-old Apata went ahead to marry her female partner and has been rewarded for her passion in the struggle for the rights of Lesbians, Gays, Bisexuals & Transgender in the UK.

Miss SaHHara

Before Clifford Oche, a Benue State born man decided to go under the knife to become a woman, many Nigerians never thought one of their own could go that lane.

But after being expelled from the Benue State University over his homosexual tendencies, Oche sneaked out of the country and for many years, nothing was heard of him till he surfaced, but this time as a woman called Miss SaHHara and since then, she has not looked back.

She believes in what she is and has continued to tell her country people that she is a woman and wants to be seen as such.

When she first made the pronouncement, she said:

“I am standing in front of the mirror looking at my reflection. Tears of joy trickle down my rouged cheek before going on stage. I am in tears because I just can’t believe how realistic my dreams have become. I am a woman!

Living my life freely; accepted and respected for my achievements as a model and a performer. I did not imagine life could be this amazing many years ago after being released from a horrid Nigerian prison for being different.

Then all I could think was I could die in this prison and no one will know or care. Being imprisoned felt justifiable, considering I was being punished for being ‘gay’ – something they assumed due to my feminine features and mannerisms.

I am a woman born differently due to natural defects. I was born male but my brain, gestures, features and carriage functioned as female."

She has gone on to win the Miss World Transgender pageant and has been engaging in a battle with Jesus Christ whom she has at various times labelled as homosexual.

Ms Mandy La Candy

Shortly after Miss SaHHara made her debut, another Nigerian man came out calling herself Ms Mandy La Candy, saying she also undertook the corrective surgery to become a woman after she was tired of living a fake life as a man.

Though nothing has been heard of the Canada based Ms Mandy Candy in recent times, she makes this list for her boldness in coming out of the closet, like they always say.

Stephanie Rose

Many Nigerians would not have minded or cared about Stephanie Rose, another transgender who was born Dapo Adaralegbe, until she took to social media to pour insults on almighty God, calling Him all sorts of derogatory names like foolish, wicked, maggot and idiot.

Suddenly, Nigerians got to know the man-woman and a peep into her background revealed that he was a popular homosexual studying Law at the prestigious Obafemi Awolowo University, Ife, before he was expelled in 2001 and he fled to Holland where his homosexual lover paid for a sex change surgery.

S(he) is now a non-conformist God-Hater who does not look back in attacking the almighty at every opportunity.

She has even written a book entitled: 'Nobody Goes To Heaven Because Nobody Goes To Hell Fire'.