Why crossdressers must be discouraged in Nigeria- Blackface

Nigerian singer known as Ahmedu Augustine Black face Naija has lamented the influence of crossdressers on the young generation of Nigeria.

In a tweet on Wednesday, the 49-year-old singer slammed crossdressers and accused them of ”influencing our younger generation with your iQ n low dress sense! If you are a man, please dress like a man and not a transgender person. smh”

You should try to stop influencing our younger generation with your iQ n low dress sense! If you are a man, please dress like a man and not transgender
Smh

— GHETTO CHILD (@Blackfacenaija) May 3, 2023

His tweet drew mixed reactions from people who accused him of indirectly calling out Bobrisky and James Brown.

Crossdressing is a growing practice in Nigeria that has had mixed reactions as it is often associated with homosexuality, which is frowned upon in the country.

There is a bill in the House that seeks to amend the Same-Sex Persons (Prohibition) Act to ban trachism in Nigeria.

The amendment moved by Muda Umar (APC, Bauchi) in April 2022 seeks to amend sections 4 and 5 of the main act.

This proposed bill, if passed into law, could affect well-known transvestites like Bobrisky and Okuneye Olanrewaju, popularly known as James Brown.

The bill proposes: “A person who engages in transvestism shall be guilty of an offense and liable to imprisonment for six months or a fine of five hundred thousand naira”.

The 2013 Gay Ban Bill was signed into law by former President Goodluck Jonathan despite opposition from the international community, particularly the United States and the United Kingdom.

Mr. Jonathan signed the bill into law on January 17, 2014.

Zero tolerance for crossdressers

Clarifying his tweet, Blackface told PREMIUM TIMES that he was not talking about Bobrisky or James Brown, but female artists.

Blackface, a member of the now defunct music group Plantashun Boiz, said he is concerned about the growing trend of morality created by the pursuit of wealth.

“I have been observing for a long time, and I realized that it is getting worse, because people do not have morals, and they do not show good morals to people, doing whatever they want, as long as it brings money.

“Where is the moral? That’s what I’m asking. I worry about where a society is going where people don’t want to be themselves; they want to be someone else; after that they can start affecting young boys, and that is wrong for society,” he said.

Blackface also said that he believes that although there is no law in place against transvestism in Nigeria, it is up to individuals to decide to abide by moral standards.

“Everyone already claims the right to do what I want, they show me the right to copy anything, and I think we should fear God; We should consider if it is something that the Almighty would allow”, he said, indicating that the fear of God should be taken into account.

“Where is the respect for God?” he asked

“I’m not saying that I’m too holy or too spiritual, but at least I don’t show my flaws in public like that because some managers tell me to wear women’s clothes or promoters tell me to dress as women; where is your self esteem Where is your whole being? You cannot lose yourself in the world.”

Acknowledging that the growing music industry has already been affected by the pandemic, Blackface called on the media to find a way to portray positive messages rather than those that contribute to the spread of negativity.

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Talking about his music career, Blackface who has been solo since leaving Plantashaun Boiz in 2004, says he was going to bring the heat this year as he collaborates with artists from Loudhouz Entertainment.

His latest albums include Rising Sun, Defender and Achieve(Rising Sun 2).