Nigerian gay rights activist, Bisi Alimi has reacted to Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby apologizing for how the Anglican church has treated members of the LGBTQ community.
While apologizing to members of the LGBTQ community, the Archbishop said “On behalf of the church, I am sorry for what has happened to all of you and how the church has treated your community”.
Reacting to the apology, Bisi Alimi said he wish he heard those words at the age of 17 when he was desperately seeking a cure for being gay. He added that he wouldn't have thought about and attempted suicide.
The gay rights activist who noted that he waited 30 years to hear it from the Anglican Communion, further stated that he knows he will never hear it from the Catholic, Protestant or Evangelical church in his lifetime.
Alimi wrote;
"The first step to reconciliation is to accept with humility that a wrong has been done. Last Friday, Archbishop @justinwelby
did just that with honesty and open arms when he said “Oh behalf of the
church, I am sorry for what has happened to all of you and how the
church has treated your community”
"I
wish I heard those words at the age of 17 years when I was desperately
seeking a cure for being gay, maybe I won’t have thought about and
attempted suicide.
"I
have waited 30 years to hear it from the Anglican Communion, but I know
I will never hear it from the Catholic, Protestant or Evangelical
church in my lifetime. However, this won’t have been possibly without
one amazing woman who has dedicated her life for standing up for LGBTQI+
people.
"@revd_ije
the COS to the Archbishop used her position and authority to start the
journey of reconciliation for the church and the LGBTQI people,
especially of African descent. No, it doesn’t mean I will go back to the
church, but it means I can at least see the church on a journey of
“powerful reconciliation” and that’s what matters.
“I
think this lesson here is simple, change won’t happen unless you see
yourself as its agent. Thank you Rev Ijeoma… Thank you Archbishop
Welby.”
