The leadership of the National Youth Council of Nigeria, Lagos State Chapter, aligning with Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s commitment to core values, has expressed confidence in the ability of the federal government to uphold national and cultural values amid concerns about alleged LGBTQ clauses in the Samoa Agreement signed by the federal government.
Critics have claimed that the $150 billion Samoa Agreement, signed by Nigeria with the EU, contains LGBTQ clauses, which many see as a threat to Nigeria’s cultural values.
The Chairman of Lagos Youth, Engr. Adigun Ibrahim, stated that the youths of Lagos State, in alignment with the state governor, have unwavering trust in the Federal Government to preserve and uphold the nation’s cultural values. After thorough research, the youth body supports the statement released by the Minister of Information, Mohammed Idris, which asserts that the Samoa Agreement is free of the alleged LGBTQ clauses, as the country maintains a valid stance against same-sex marriage.
Quoting Premium Newspaper, the youth leader explained that research shows the initial draft of the agreement presented on November 15, 2023, included the alleged LGBTQ clauses, but Nigeria was not represented, and the agreement was not signed.
As a result, the youth body applauds the Federal Government for ensuring that the revised Samoa Agreement, signed in June, is free of clauses that conflict with the country’s cultural values. They emphasize that Lagos youth, under the steadfast leadership of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, highly value and uphold cultural norms.
However, Adigun urges the federal government to improve its decision-making process by integrating public opinion, especially that of the youth.
He said, “We as youth hold our cultural norms and values in high esteem, which is why we applaud the FG for ensuring the absence of clauses that conflict with our cultural norms in the signed agreement. Similarly, we support and applaud Governor Sanwo-Olu for his action-oriented dedication to upholding core values towards the holistic development of everyone. We, however, implore the government to ensure active involvement of the masses, especially the youth, during critical decision-making processes.”
