By prince phillip njemanze
Summary: Imo State Law No. 7, 2007 on Gender and Equal Opportunities, is an unconstitutional law that outlaws our Christian religion, our African traditions and customs, presented with a deceptive title by foreign sponsors of abortion and contraception to kill Imo children. The international Pro-abortion groups (International Planned Parenthood Foundations IPPF, IPAS, UNFPA, Bill and Malinda Gates Foundation) and their local collaborators (National Coalition of Affirmative Action NCAA) before their crushing defeat on June 1, 2009 in the Imo House of Assembly and in the National Assembly had secretly sponsored a law unknown to Imo People deceptively titled ‘Gender and Equal Opportunities Law No. 7 2007’. They evaded the House Procedural Hearings and manipulated the Governor Achike Udenwa on expiry of his tenure to sign into law the domestication of the nationally abandoned Convention on the Elimination of All forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), Protocol to the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa (Maputo Protocol), and Same-Sex Marriage legalization. They achieved the legalization of abortion, contraception human egg-trafficking, destruction of Christian religion by outlawing the use of the Holy Bible in schools, legitimizing female Priesthood, and destruction of our African Heritage by legitimizing women Eze-ship and changing customary inheritance rights. Imo State notoriously stands out as the only State in the Federation that has passed the Gender and Equal Opportunities Law. As the most Christian State in Nigeria, Imo State should not be one of those to pass abortion into law and to embark on destroying Christianity and African Customs and Traditions. Therefore, we must abrogate the Law No. 7 2007 on Gender and Equal Opportunity that was sponsored by foreign racists, who fund NGOs to carry out subversive highly treasonable actions to kill Imo People.
Details of the Critique of Imo State Law No. 7, 2007 ‘Gender and Equal Opportunities’
1. Imo State Law No. 7, 2007 Section on Definitions:
“Abuse” includes physical, psychological, sexual, verbal, economic, social, cultural or similar mistreatment or mishandling which interferes with the integrity of a female or male human being.
1. CMAN Rebuttal.:
The definition of ‘abuse’ as ‘verbal’ was made broad to include normal parental scolding of children, preaching against ‘sins’ of adultery, abortion, fornication, etc., as is customary in our religious society. It includes preaching by Priests, Pastors, Evangelists, Bishops, Traditional heads that condemn actions contrary to our religion and culture. This latter curtails the “Freedom” of religion, and restricts the Church and traditional institution from correcting the evils of society such as the sins of abortion, contraception, fornication, adultery, etc. Perpetrators if condemned by preachers on the pulpit could take offence even when not specifically directed at them but at the entire congregation; the Law No. 7 2007 allows anyone to claim ‘psychological’ distress in response to ‘verbal abuse’ that they consider violates ‘the integrity of a female or male human being’. There are no limitations or exemptions made by the Law No. 7 2007, on what could be considered as ‘abuse’ therefore all cultural manners of correction of children and young people would be considered as ‘abuse’ liable to fine and/or imprisonment. Daughters would go against mothers and sons against fathers in courts, with parents facing jail sentences as prescribed by Law No. 7 2007. This would create a breakdown of ethics and morals, customs, traditional practices, and religion that holds the fabric of our society. Children growing up in Imo State society that is compliant to Law No. 7 2007 would have on cultural, religious, ethical and moral restrictions and no traditional upbringing for which we are known as a people. The impending chaos would lead ultimately to the disintegration of our entire socio-political system. This is the goal of the racist foreign sponsors of the Law No. 7 2007, under a deceptive title: Gender and Equal Opportunities Law.
2. Imo State Law No. 7, 2007 Section on Definitions:
“Women” includes the boy child.
“Men” includes the boy child.
2. CMAN Rebuttal.:
The Law No. 7 is titled “Gender and Equal Opportunities Law 2007”. However it does not define “Gender”. Rather the Law No. 7, 2007 defines Women to include boy child, and Men to include boy child. This is not a ‘type error’ the Law No. 7 seeks to define Gender as a social construct which anyone could assign a gender to him or herself, irrespective of their biology – Sex. Usually Gender is defined as the societal role of Man and Woman, while Sex is based on the Genetics of Male and Female. The Foreign sponsors of the Law sought to introduce language confusion to deceive Imo Lawmakers and hide away their real intentions. Therefore, a boy child could claim to be a ‘woman’, that is to play a woman’s role. While, a girl child could also claim to be a ‘man’, or play a man’s role. The reason for this ambiguity in Law No. 7, 2007 is to directly legalize Same-Sex Marriages. That is to say that, the Gender and Equal Opportunities Law No. 7 allows a boy child claiming to be a woman, to mate with a boy child claiming to be a man. Hence, the Law No. 7 2007 legalizes ‘homosexualism’, against which there are serious restrictions on what the society can do without breaking the Law No.7, 2007. The Law No. 7, 2007 by defining ‘Women to include body child’ is in conflict with the Criminal Code Act of the Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 1990 section 214 categorises “carnal knowledge of any person against the order of nature” as an felony carrying the punishment of imprisonment for fourteen years. Therefore, Law No. 7, 2007 is null and void and of no effect.
3. Imo State Law No. 7, 2007 Section on Definitions:
“Violence” includes physical, psychological, sexual, verbal or emotional maltreatment or assault.
3. CMAN Rebuttal.:
The Law No. 7, 2007 seeks to classify as ‘violence’, verbal condemnation of actions and lifestyles not consistent with our religion, customs and traditions. This would create ethical and moral chaos with ultimate breakdown of our society.
4. Imo State Law No. 7, 2007 Section on Definitions:
“Discrimination against Women” shall mean any distinction, exclusion or restriction made on the basis of sex which has the effect or purpose of impairing or nullifying the recognition, enjoyment or exercise by women, irrespective of their marital status, on a basis of equality of men and women, of human rights and fundamental freedoms in the political, economic, social, cultural, civil or any other field.
4. CMAN Rebuttal.:
The definition of discrimination to mean any ‘distinction, exclusion and restriction’ in all areas, political, economic, social, cultural or any other field (e.g Religion, traditional Ezeship, Traditional Ohas, Traditional Prime-Ministership, Priests, Pastors, Catholic Bishops, Anglican Bishops, and others). The Law No. 7, 2007 underscores that there are NO EXEMPTIONS, in applicable areas which women can take roles equal to men. Therefore, the Law No. 7, 2007 abolishes all male Catholic Priesthood, all male Anglican Priesthood, all male Igbo Ezeship, all male Igbo Traditional Ohas, all male Seminaries. Similarly, Law No. 7 2007 in Section 10 (b) in order to eliminate stereotypes and assure equal rights of men and women, the Law No. 7 2007, eliminates all women Sister Convents, all women Carmelite Sisters Monasteries, all men Seminaries …’by encouraging co-education and other types of education which will help achieve this aim’. These unisex religious training facilities are now illegal and laws and statues that established them are null and void under Law No. 7 2007 Section 4c. The Imo Traditional Council consisting of only Ezes who are men is an illegal entity under Law No. 7 2007 Section 4c. The question is did the Lawmakers intend removal of all ‘distinction, exclusion and restriction’ social, civil …. or any other field’. This was not the case but the Foreign sponsors had the hidden agenda of destroying our traditional structures, religion and customs using Law No. 7, 2007, under a deceptive heading of ‘Gender and Equal Opportunities’.
5. Imo State Law No. 7, 2007 Section on Purpose of the Law:
The purpose of the Imo State Law No. 7, 2007 is to give effect to: The elimination of all forms of discrimination and destruction against persons on the basis of sex as is presently obtained in Imo State.
6. CMAN Rebuttal.:
The purpose of Law No. 7, 2007 is to domesticate of the so-called Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa (Maputo Protocol), which are two international conventions which fall under External Affairs of Item 26, Exclusive Legislative List Part I, Legislative Powers, Second Schedule, of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, No. 24. The Law No. 7, 2007, in all it statues seeks to domesticate by legislation the international conventions, a matter on the Exclusive Legislative List of the National Assembly, thereby, breaching the constitutional separation of legislative spheres of influence between Imo House of Assembly and the National Assembly. Moreover, the National Assembly has voted to decline from domestication of CEDAW (similar to the action of the U.S. Senate which declined from domestication of CEDAW citing breach of the sovereignty of the USA), and Maputo Protocol (National Assembly had similar concerns that Maputo Protocol legalises abortion, contraception, abolishes our traditional inheritance rights, abolishes our African Traditions and Culture, and destroys our religions) therefore the action of the Imo House of Assembly, to pass Law No. 7, 2007 challenges the supremacy of the National Assembly on issues of domestication of international treaties and conventions, as well as challenging the sovereignty of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The aim of the Foreign sponsors of this Law No. 7, 2007, is to achieve legalization of Same-Sex Marriage, Abortion, Contraception, Human Ovarian Egg-trafficking, drastic under-population of Nigeria, disintegration of the African Traditional way of Life, ban of the use of Holy Bible in Schools, ban of use of Holy Koran in Schools, ban of all men Catholic and Anglican Priesthood, ban of all male Seminaries and all female Sisters Convents, ban of all men traditional rulers and total destruction of religion and culture in Imo State. Imo State was chosen and targeted because of the strong Christian background and hence the collapse of Imo State traditional and religious background would make it easier to collapse other Igbo States and hence Nigeria. To the latter effect, Law No. 7, 2007 is unconstitutional and should be null, void and of no effect.
6. Prohibition of Discrimination outlaws Religion and Traditional African Culture [Imo State Law No. 7, 2007, Section 4.a].
6. CMAN Rebuttal.:
Law No. 7 2007 outlaws all institutions that have ‘through words spoken, acts, inactions, omissions, laws, regulations, administrative procedures, policy, guidelines, rules, customs or practices discriminate against any person on the grounds of gender.’ This provision of the Law No. 7, 2007 would outlaw on the basis of gender roles the Holy Catholic Church, Anglican Church, Islamic religion, traditional Eze-ship, Sultan-ship and Emirs, and our entire traditional and cultural institutions that have designated roles based on gender.
7. The Imo State Law No. 7, 2007 in Section 4 (b) (i-v) mandates imprisonment for Priests/Pastors/ Evangelists/Imans who commit ‘verbal abuse’ of women during preaching against abortion or any other violations under this Law [Section 4 (b) (i-v) the Church, Bishops, Pope would be liable too.
7. CMAN REBUTTAL.:
The Law No. 7, 2007 has defined ‘abuse’ of women as: ‘includes physical, psychological, sexual, verbal, economic, social, cultural or similar mistreatment or mishandling which interferes with the integrity of a female or male human being’. This would suggest that under Law No. 7, 2007, a priest or imam preaching against abortion and contraception could have inflicted ’emotional and psychological’ trauma on a woman who has undergone an abortion. He could be charged and jailed under this Law No. 7 2007, [Section 4 (b)]. His Bishop would also be liable and would also be charged [Section 4 (b)(iv)] and the Pope would also be charged [Section 4 (b)(iv)] and the Church would be told by the court to make a public apology with restitution [Section 4 (b) (v).
8. Promotion of equality and accord to women in civil matters a legal capacity identical to that of men would dismantle the Customary Courts and Sharia courts [Imo State Law No. 7, 2007, Section 5, (i) (ii) (vi) (viii)].
8. CMAN Rebuttal.:
This would mean that the Customary Courts would be dismantled since their provisions takes cognizance of the traditions and cultures of the people of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, in civil matters such as issues of inheritance rights and settlements of family disputes over child custody. Also the Sharia Court system would be dismantled by this Law on similar basis. The Law No. 7, 2007 outlaws the Customary Court system in Imo State which is based on the foundation of our customary laws, which does not have sameness or so-called equality for men and women, but rather assigns customary roles for men and women, which is now declared to be illegal under Law No. 7, 2007. However, the Imo State Customary Court of Appeal was established under Article 280, Part II, C of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999. Hence, the Law No. 7, 2007 does not recognize the supremacy of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999. To the latter effect Law No. 7, 2007 should be made null and void, and of no effect.
9. Elimination of Discrimination requires abolishing Catholic and Anglican Priesthood, Male-dominated Eze-ship, Emir-ship, Sultan-ship [Imo State Law No. 7, 2007, Section 5].
9. CMAN Rebuttal.:
This section states clearly that measures to accomplish the aims of Law No. 7, 2007 …’Every organ, body, public institution, individuals, communities or authority and private enterprise in Imo State shall take all appropriate measures, including regulatory policy, fiscal and administrative measures, to ensure the full development and advancement of girls and women for the purpose of guaranteeing to them the exercise and enjoyment of human rights and fundamental freedoms on the basis of equality with boys and men.’ This statue of the Law underscores ‘on the basis of equality with boys and men’, therefore any ‘distinction’ of roles would be considered as unequal and hence illegal. This means that denial of an Eze-ship title from a woman who hails from a Royal Family and is the eldest in line for the throne would be considered discrimination on the basis of gender, hence the community would be asked by the courts in Imo State to elect such a woman as Eze. Similarly, the Church would be asked by courts to ordain women applicants as priests, bishops, and pastors contrary to the Church traditions and rules. Seminaries, congregations for monks and sisters would be illegal if they do not consider applicants of opposite sex, then that would be discrimination under Law No. 7, 2007. No nation on earth to this day has allowed equality of gender law to be passed without the exemptions of religion, culture and traditions of the people. The question arises would this be the desire of the majority of the people of Imo State to destroy religion and culture? Certainly not, and hence the Law No. 7, 2007 counters the desires and aspirations of the people of Imo State.
10. Removal of Stereotypes of gender role would require removing all cultural roles of motherhood, and fatherhood, roles of women and men in our traditional settings and in the Church [Imo State Law No. 7, 2007, Section 8].
10. CMAN Rebuttal.:
The Law No. 7, 2007, states in Section 8, that: Every agency, body, organ, public institution, … stereotyped roles of men and women, and to this end:
(i) .. for all purpose including choice of career;
(ii) …promote understanding of maternity as a social function…
The right to free choice of profession and employment would allow women to choose male roles, for example, as frontline combat forces in the army, which might be against the military rules now rendered illegal and discriminatory under this Law. This would destroy our military and render us weak and vulnerable to invasion and occupation by foreign forces. Meanwhile, to this day all major developed countries have limited combat roles for women and even though it is considered discriminatory by women activists, the law remains in force.
11. The Imo State Law No. 7, 2007, [Section 8(ii)] recognizes maternity as a ‘social function’ not ‘nature’ hence men and women could be mothers, and thereby legalizes Same-Sex Marriages.
11. CMAN Rebuttal.:
The promotion of ‘maternity as a social function’ means that maternity is not nature rather a social role a person volunteers to play, which implies that either a man or woman in their equal capacity could fill maternal roles. This provision of the Law No. 7, Section 8(ii) renders obsolete the definition of marriage as recognized as a union of Man and Woman by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999. While at the same time, Law No. 7, 2007, legalizes Same-Sex Marriages, which is based on the premise that maternity and paternity are social functions not ‘nature’ which could be filled by either a man or woman in a union of man-to-man, or woman-to-woman.
12. The Imo State Law No. 7, 2007 seeks elimination of ‘Stereotypes’ in all forms of education, would ban the use of the Holy Bible and Holy Koran in Schools [Section 10 (b)].
12. CMAN Rebuttal.:
The Law No. 7, 2007, Section 10 (b) obligates eliminating all forms of educational materials and textbooks that promote the stereotypes of women (assigning roles to men and women), which is what is found in the Holy Bible and Holy Koran. These two Great Holy Books of Faith and Religion would not be used in schools in Imo State under this Law No. 7, 2007.
13. The Imo State Law No. 7, 2007 mandates Free Health Care for all pregnant women with 2 years and children <12 years at all public and private health services, obligating them to provide regulation of Fertility Law No. 7, 2007 [Section 18 (a-e)
13. CMAN Rebuttal.:
The Law No. 7, 2007 does not provide ways and means for compensation of the private health services providers, doctors, nurses and pharmacists. There is no mention of health insurance rather the Law No. 7, 2007 underscores 'granting Free Services'. However, why is it that the Foreign sponsors seem to want Free Healthcare, for pregnant women, this is because they want to get these women into the primary healthcare centers where after delivery they will be sterilized using tubal legations, chemicals, implants, abortions as shown in Section 18 (a-e) of Law No. 7, 2007.
14. The Imo State Law No. 7 2007 in [Section 18 (a-f)] legalizes Abortion, Contraception, Assisted Reproduction and Human Ovarian Egg-donation'.
14. CMAN Rebuttal.:
The Law No. 7, 2007 by stating in section 18 (e) 'Medical termination' of pregnancy ….where the continued pregnancy endangers the health of the mother… The key word here is the broad term 'endangers the health'. Pregnancy is not a sickness but a physiologic condition, here the Law No. 7, 2007 casts pregnancy as a cause of disease which under the circumstances would have to be terminated to regain 'health'. This latter is falsehood and deception. The Law No. 7, 2007 does not define what it means by 'health', therefore, even 'headache' could be assessed as a threat to health, hence the Law No. 7, 2007 provides for legalization of abortions at anytime during the nine months of pregnancy under the term 'medical termination'.
15. The Imo State Law No. 7, 2007 legislates on marriage with is on item 61 of the Exclusive Legislative List Part I Legislative Powers Second Schedule of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999.
15. CMAN REBUTTAL.:
The Imo State House of Assembly was not empowered by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 to make laws on Separation, divorce or annulment of marriage Section 19 (a-c). Therefore the Law No. 7, 2007 is null and void and of no effect. The Foreign sponsors of Law No. 7, 2007 in [Section 19] sought to destroy the Imo Family by legalizing separation, divorce or annulment of marriage without the precautionary steps of seeking out of court resolutions of the problem. The Law No. 7, 2007 further introduces economic incentives for a woman to seek separation by equitable sharing of property acquired during the period of the marriage. The aim of the foreign detractors here is that marriage would be contracted by some women as an economic venture incase of separation to gain property. This would destroy the foundation of the family and ultimately the foundation of Imo society.
16. The Imo State Law No. 7, 2007, in Section 21 alters the traditional inheritance rights in Imo State.
16. CMAN REBUTTAL.:
The Law No. 7, 2007 is inconsistent with the guidelines, rules, regulations and proceedings of the Customary Court of the State, that uses “The real or personal estate which cannot be disposed by the applicable customary law, cannot be disposed by will”.
Further, testate inheritance in some states in Eastern Nigeria is governed by the Succession Law Edict, 1987.
This would mean that inheritance rights have to be contested despite the prevailing customary laws in the area. Hence, we will expect a chaotic breakdown of society on the issues of inheritance rights between men and women in Imo State under Law No. 7, 2007. Since the Imo State Law No. 7, 2007 is at variance with superior laws of the Customary Court established by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999, it is therefore null and void and of no effect.
17. The Imo State Law No. 7, 2007, Gender and Equal Opportunities is enforced by the Imo State Gender and Equal Opportunities Unit in the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development using taxpayer's money.
17. CMAN REBUTTAL.:
This would mean the Imo taxpayers are funding a committee that enforces the killing of their own children, destruction of their Christian religion, destruction of their traditions and culture. This was not the intention of the Lawmakers and does not reflect the will of Imo People. Hence, the Imo State Law No. 7, 2007, is therefore null and void and of no effect.
Academician Prince Dr Philip C. Njemanze MD is the Chairman, CMAN, Imo State.
