Nigerian renowned lesbian and activist, Aderonke Apata,
who has been battling the United Kingdom immigrations to allow her stay
in the country over her status, has been rewarded for her passion in
the struggle for the rights of Lesbians, Gays, Bisexuals &
Transgender in the UK. The 47-year-old Ronke who was one of the front figures demonstrating against the Nigerian government when it signed the Anti-Gay Bill into law some few months ago, beat four other recipients to win the prestigious award.
Ronke who claimed she fled torture in Nigeria after her family and her ex-girlfriend were murdered, and she was sentenced to death for being gay, Nigeria because she was marked for death when she came out to declare that she was a lesbian, has been battling the UK authorities to grant her an asylum when it was clear that she would be deported back to Nigeria.
In the course of the legal warfare, Ronke said she was going to send the tape where she is allegedly having sex with her lesbian partners to the UK Home Secretary to support her claims that she is really a lesbian.
Read her statement here:
I
was asked to bring my supporting documents for my judicial review for
the court to look at. What evidence do we have to compile apart from
letters from people?
I
have a video of myself and my girlfriend making love, so I thought why
not just put it in? I cannot afford to go back to my county where I will
be tortured, so if I have to prove it with a sexual video, then I have
to do it.
I feel so
bad it’s got to this stage. It’s such a desperate and precarious
situation to be in, very dangerous, because anything could happen to
those pictures, those videos.
I want sanctuary. I just want to be protected. I want to be who I am. I am a lesbian and I am proud of it.
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