Miss Ebele Ngozi Okwuosa, a 32-year-old bi-sexual Nigerian woman, finds herself grateful to be alive and in good health after enduring a harrowing experience that forced her to flee her home in Anambra State. Orphaned at the tender age of 12, Okwuosa was adopted by a lesbian aunt, who introduced her to a world where she could express her true self as a teenager.
However, her life took a dark turn a few months ago when a mob composed mainly of local youth, with some elders, launched a violent campaign to eliminate lesbians in the Awka area. In a tragic escalation of violence, this mob brutally murdered two of Okwuosa’s friends, leaving her in a state of deep fear for her life.
“This was how my nightmare began in October 2024,” Okwuosa recounts. “I felt unsafe everywhere, especially in my family home, where I knew I could easily be found by the mob.” Fearing for her safety, she moved frequently throughout the night in a desperate attempt to elude her pursuers.
In December 2024, Okwuosa found a way to escape to Lagos, Nigeria’s bustling commercial hub. However, unbeknownst to her, the mob had begun tracking her movements, believing she might try to relocate further. “I noticed strange individuals following me, which heightened my anxiety,” she said. “By then, I could no longer contact my family for fear they’d be in danger too.”
Fortune smiled upon her as she received assistance from her brother-in-law, Mr. Sylvester Azubuike, who helped her secure the necessary documents for travel to Europe. “My nightmare finally ended when I arrived in France. Yet, I can’t shake the memories of the violence inflicted upon my friends, victims of their sexual orientation,” she lamented.
Now safe in France, Okwuosa is determined to embrace her identity and live a normal life as a bi-sexual woman. She holds hopes of one day getting married and starting a family. Her story underscores the challenges faced by many LGBTQ+ individuals in Nigeria, where cultural opposition and mob violence continue to threaten lives.
Nigeria, a nation of over 250 million people with more than 500 ethnic groups, has no comprehensive legal protections for LGBTQ+ citizens. As a result, various groups have taken it upon themselves to enact terror on those perceived as different. Like Okwuosa, numerous young Nigerian women have endured unimaginable hardships, with some succumbing to violence while others manage to escape to safety.