AN APPRAISAL OF GAY MARRIAGE UNDER THE NIGERIAN LAW

Abstract

Gay marriage is a global phenomenon. Same-sex marriage also known as gay marriage is the marriage of twopeople of the same legal sex. In contrast to the traditional definition or concept of marriage as the voluntaryunion for life between one man and one woman to the exclusion of all others same sex marriage or gaymarriage is marriage between two persons of the same gender. Same sex relationships and marriage is a trendwhich is now spreading across the globe as the number of countries that support it increases as time goes on.But Nigeria appears to be counted outside this growing world community as the Nigerian National Assembly in2013, passed a law prohibiting same sex marriages in any form. The aim of the study was to critically examinegay marriage and the legal import and make to compare with other foreign jurisdictions. The researchmethodology was doctrinal approach, using expository and analytical research design. The main sources ofdata collection were various legal literatures, both from the physical library and the e-library. The studyobserved that Same-sex relationships and marriage is a trend which is now spreading across the globe as thenumber of countries that support it increases but Nigeria appears to be counted outside this growing worldcommunity as the Nigerian National Assembly in 2013, passed a law prohibiting same sex marriages in anyform. However, it is recommended among others that on the basis of the relationship between law and moralityit is advocated that Nigeria should not legalize same sex or gay marriages in the country regardless of what thepractice is in other jurisdictions.