How Gay Right Activist, Edafe Okporo Fled Nigeria To Finding Love

A US-based Nigerian gay rights activist, Edafe Okporo who fled Nigeria to seek asylum in America has officially tied the knot with his lover, Nick Giglio.

The two lovers broke the internet after sharing their wedding photos on social media.

 

The Warri-born immigration rights activist and Nick who got engaged last year said "I Do" in a classic New York wedding.

 

The Orhobo born was excited to settle down with his husband earlier this year that he took to his twitter page announcing he couldn't wait to spend the rest of his life with his partner.

" I'm in Delaware with my to be husband, talking about our lives together. I'm so grateful". Edafe wrote in January

Well,Edafe took to his social media pages on Sunday, July 17, to share the news accompanied with some lovely photos of the event & wrote;

"We Official Mr & Mr.  07-16-22. Blissful New York romance. Happily married." 

He also shared video from their wedding ceremony held on Saturday, July 16, in New York.

Before finding 'himelf' and  happiness in America, Edafe opened up on his journey to finding self and how he was disgraced in Nigeria before fleeing the country.

Edafe and Nick Giglio

According to him, he was being ridiculed and mobbed by those he trusted and he fled to the US to seek asylum.

He recalled, telling his mum how he was attracted to men and her reply was like,don't say that my son,you are an Orhobo man.

At some point,my dad tried to force me to get married but i couldn't lie to myself to stay with a woman.He said

Wedding photo

He shared his journey to finding acceptance and creating a safe haven for others like him.

The happy couple

“I fled my country because of the anti-gay laws

He continued:

In primary school, my elder sister was my shield and protector till the day she graduated. After she left, I faced bullying because I walked and talked like a woman.  

Although I was an excellent student, it became hard for me to go to school. I wanted to stay at home with my mum. I felt safe in my mama’s arms. 

In middle and high school: I could not enjoy the game I love so much, Soccer, because I played like a woman my classmates said in school. 

In my hometown Warri, I could not go to the sports bar because in arguing with other guys, I have been called the F-Word. At home Daddy was very dominant with the television, I stayed with the uncomfortable feeling of not having a say anywhere I found myself as a teenager. 

The Classic New York wedding, Edafe captioned

In my second year of college, I became a pastor at nineteen to find my voice in my community. I was always preaching on Sunday on the altar, but I knew I was living in a lie. I had to come out and live free of this persecution, but homophobia was very strong among the religious community in Nigeria

I hide my sexuality, unfortunately, hiding led to me falling into the arms of the mob. I was a victim of mob violence in Nigeria, I was kidnapped by these men, who pretended to be gay on a dating app called manjam.

They used one of the men as bait to lure me into the apartment when I got in. The other guys came out of the wardrobes, slapping and kicking me. I was under siege. 

I was left to run out of the apartment naked, they took my phone, wallet, and money. I swell I will never be gay again. 

When I graduated college,I moved to Abuja. In 2014, the government of Nigeria passed a law that criminalizes same-sex acts by 14 years imprisonment. And criminalizes activism by gay men by 10 years in prison. 

This law led to increasing violence against gay men, subsequently, I was a victim of second mob violence. That sums it up. I knew I had to flee, I had to leave Nigeria as a gay man to find freedom of expression, love, and safety. 

I am now a refugee in the United States. I faced persecution for being gay in Nigeria. Now I am faced with the reality of being black and gay.

 Edafe added that,he was not forcing people to be gay like him.

 In his words he said, "all I wanted in Nigeria was a chance to live my truth without been shamed or prosecuted for it."

Congratulations to the couple and more years of happiness.