A Lagos-based family is in quandary over the whereabouts of a lady who disappeared from home after she was accused of being bisexual.
The 36-year-old lady, identified as Judith Yakubu, hails from Etsako East Local Government Area of Edo State and has not been seen since 2013 when she was accused of the illicit sexual act by her husband.
A family source informed our correspondent that apart from the fact that homosexuality and lesbianism have been criminalised in Nigeria, it was a taboo in their community with grave consequences.
The source said that Judith was accused by her husband at the time of having sexual relationship with a lady after he eavesdropped on her conversation with a friend on the phone.
Her alleged act reportedly led to the untimely death of her uncle and foster father, one Mr. Ademu Yakubu, who was said to have committed suicide due to the shame and stigma it brought on the family.
Since her disappearance, the family has not been able to perform a cleansing ritual required by the community in order to stop the frequent cases of mysterious illnesses that have struck the family.
It is believed that for fear for her life, the lady may have fled the country after several attempts to prove her innocence failed.
Another source, a lady who craved anonymity, claimed Judith confessed to her that she was introduced to female-to-female relationship by her secondary school classmate when they were in Class Five (now SS3).
She said they were living in Ajegunle in Lagos State then.
According to her, Judith said she tried to stop the act when she got married but she could not until her former husband found out.
She said even the manner of her uncle’s death was a taboo in the community and that it took more than a year for him to be buried after some appeasement rituals were performed at the village shrine.
“The family is in a serious dilemma because of the allegation against Judith. She needs to prove her innocence before our village shrine. That is our belief and it has nothing to do with whether we believe in God as Christians or not.
“Without her physical presence, we cannot perform the cleansing ritual required to stop the mysterious illnesses and death that has hit the family. Several pastors have prayed but it has not abated,” she said.