Theresa May has 'colonialist mentality'; she 'lacks respect for Africans' - Foh-Amoaning

Anti-gay campaigner and Senior Law Lecturer at the Ghana School of Law, Moses Foh-Amoaning says comments by the Prime Minister of United Kingdom, Theresa May on giving homosexuals the freedom to practice in Africa shows clearly her ignorance and disrespect for Africans’ cultural and moral values.

The Prime Minister of United Kingdom, Ms. Theresa May, is reported to have urged leaders of Commonwealth nations to overhaul “outdated” anti-gay laws in their countries, adding that UK “deeply regrets” its role in the legacy of violence and discrimination.

The Prime Minister drew cheers and applause when she told delegates at the Commonwealth heads of government meeting (GHOGM) that “nobody should face discrimination or persecution because of who they are or who they love”.

But according to the renowned law lecturer, Theresa May is exposing her neo-colonialist mentality with her decision to help leaders of Commonwealth nations to change their anti-gay laws which form part of the customary laws even before they colonised African countries.

“After 70 years, Theresa May has realised that the law they supposedly gave us is not good and she will help us to expunge such laws? In the first place, what is more neo-colonialist than this? They think they can change our laws for us as and when they feel like it?” he fumed on Okay FM’s Ade Akye Abia Morning Show.

He emphasized that “if Theresa May speaks like that, it still shows her colonialist mentality”; then these foreigners felt and still feel Africans have no customary laws aside their common laws they introduced to their colonies during the slavery.

“When these foreigners came to Africa, they felt their laws superseded every other law; in fact they felt there were no law when they came to Africa. The common law from England was considered the only law in Africa and so our own cultural laws and values which we call the Customary Law, they don’t accept it”, he hinted.

He added that “the white-folks are still refusing to accept that we have our Customary Law before they brought their Common Law; our Customary Law has not changed and for over 1000s of years, it doesn’t accept homosexuality”.

He reiterated saying that it will be difficult for the Ashantis, the Voltarians, the people from Brong Ahafo and those from the Northern Region to accept homosexuality due to the Customary Law which frowns on this behaviour long before the colonial masters came to Africa.

“This shows that she very ignorant and she is still living in the vestiges of colonialism and that why I want our President to speak on this issue....”, he stressed.

He therefore debunked the assertion put out by the gay promoters that homosexuality is a modern way of life; in that, homosexuality has been in existence from the days of Abraham in the Bible and cannot be accepted as a new way of life.

The law lecturer wondered why the UK has criminalised polygamy which is commonly practised in Africa as a bad practice but has issues with Africans also criminalising homosexuality in their countries.

“...you are telling us that our law against homosexuality is “outdated” and discriminatory. What is the sense in this argument when UK has also criminalized polygamy, referring to it bigamy? Is that not discriminatory against some people? That is all there is to it, it is just lack of respect for what we in Africa and developing countries believe in”, he fumed.