At feast of Tabaski in Yaounde: Muslims pray for peace, condemn homosexuality.

This was the central message delivered yesterday by the Imam of the Yaounde Central Mosque No.2, Cheik Moustapha Noureddine Nsangou Sine. 

The Moslem preacher was speaking as hundreds of Muslims gathered at the Yaounde Multipurpose Sports Complex to participate at a special prayer session organised to mark the feast of sacrifice, otherwise known as the Feast of Tabaski.

In his strongly worded sermon during the prayer session, attended by Muslim dignitaries, the Imam advised the faithful to shun practices which do not please God. 

He insisted that practices like homosexuality are against the will of Allah.

While preaching on the need for living together “due to the intensification of hate speech,” the Muslim religious leader prayed for peace and stability to reign in the country.

“What Muslims have to retain as a take home message is that this life is eternal and made up of several components. It is needless to be engaged in hate speech because tomorrow all of us will leave this earth,” the preacher advised. 

He insisted that: “…Muslims today are equal. There are no ethnic groups. There is no clan. One day, we will all be called in front of God without ethnic nor tribal considerations. So, we are emphasising on the need for us to love one and another”.

“Each and every one of us must contribute our quota for the unity of our country and for the peace and stability of our country,” he stressed. 

“We are pledging our indefatigable support to the government which has taken a firm stance in relations to the counter-productive practice that others want to impose on our country through activities aimed at protecting a particular sexual minority group,” he said, referring to a recent attempt by French authorities to organise a debate on LGBT+ rights in Yaounde.

“Our country has its cultures. Our country has its laws. It is convenient and right for us to support our country and our government in that regard. Each one of us at his or her level, has to work in such a way that this is completely fought against. We have to protect the family, the youth, and children against all these deviances,” he concluded.

The preaching of the Muslim religious leader, it should be recalled, comes barely days after the Minister of Territorial Administration, Atanga Nji Paul, had banned the planned holding of a conference-debate on homosexuality rights in Yaounde.

The firm instruction of the firebrand Interior Minister was contained in a correspondence addressed to the Governor of the Centre Region, Naseri Paul Bea. 

In the letter dated June 20, a copy of which The Guardian Post stumbled on, Atanga Nji had made it categorically clear that: “It is not possible to grant any authorisation” in connection with homosexuality in the country. 

Atanga Nji’s outing followed a correspondence the Minister of External Relations, Mbella Mbella, had addressed to him Monday June 19, indicating the planned visit to Cameroon by a French Ambassador for the rights of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender plus, LGBT+ people, Jean-Marc Berthon.

The anticipated visit of the French LGBT+ rights Ambassador was expected to run from June 27 to July 1. 

Minister Atanga Nji, through his correspondence to the Centre Region Governor, indicated that the French LGBT+ Ambassador, as per information from the Minister of External Relations, plans to carry out several activities, including the staging of performances and debates on sexual orientation and sexual identity at the French Institute of Cameroon, IFC, in Yaounde. 

The MINAT boss noted that public meetings and events in the country are subject to prior authorisation by administrative authorities, in accordance with the laws and regulations in force. He warned that any meeting related to the purpose of the visit of the French LGBT+ Ambassador should not be given any authorisation.

“With regard to the conference-debate theme, it is in total contradiction with the legislation on the subject, in particular the relevant provisions of Article 347-1 of Law N°2016/O07 of July 12, 2016, of the Penal Code. While recognising that Ambassador Jean-Marc Berthon can stay in Cameroon at any time, it is not possible to grant him any authorisation in connection with the purpose that motivated his trip,” he had stated firmly.