Rowland Adewumi

“Condoms are not the answer to Africa's fight against HIV”, Pope Benedict XVI said as he began a weeklong trip to Africa. He further said Catholic Church was at the forefront of the battle against AIDS, and sexual abstinence and not condoms is the best way to prevent HIV. I love the pope, but what a lazy solution- sexual abstinence! Okay, was he thinking? “Let’s reduce African's population”? According to a Yoruba adage: “ori bibe ko logun orififo”. Meaning you don’t because of headache cut off a head. I am not Roman Catholic, but was wondering what prompt one to become a reverend father? Gamophobia, or to avoid HIV? Of course, reverend father are supposes to be virgin, so sexual abstinence as a solution is an easy prescription. Having said that, I never new Nigeria’s health sector is so superb, because AIDS which originated from California in the United States where homosexuals were first observed clinically in 1981, was discovered in Nigeria in three years time,1984, from a 13-year-old sexually active girl. That was the first identified case of HIV in Nigeria. I can’t correlate the statistics, but am very happy that Nigeria’s health sector is very efficient, and supported by a recent claim for the discovery of cure for cancer?

With about 22 million people in sub-Saharan Africa infected with HIV, according to UNAIDS, let us quickly discover the cure like we did for cancer. United Nations and World Health Organisation also reports that 39.4 million people were infected with the HIV virus by December 2004 and Africa is home to over 65% of the world population living with HIV.  In 2007, three-quarters of all AIDS deaths worldwide were in Africa, as well as two-thirds of all people living with HIV. On a second thought with these figures, the pope might be right. Considering Africa’s poverty, sexual abstinence is the best cheap option for Africa. While waiting for Nigeria (the health sector again) to discover the cure, Rapid Condom Campaign is the best strategy against HIV/AIDS in Nigeria and the world in general. Since its instauration, AIDS has destroyed millions of family. Despite it enormous increase over the years in Africa, what clinical studies of HIV have been conducted by representatives of main governmental sectors? What research and finding have the National Action Committee on AIDS (NACA) and her active campaign partners recorded on increasing incidence of HIV/AIDS in virtually all parts of Nigeria?

In light of the above observations, the main objective of government agencies, private sector and NGOs should be directed towards (i) analysing the perceived pattern of HIV/AIDS incidence, intensity and diffusion corridors within the cities of Nigeria and identifying hot-spot, and  (ii) examine the health institutional framework of HIV/AIDS management in each state of the federation. HIV/AIDS’ diffusion process in Nigeria is no doubt a function of socio-economic and socio-political factors, of which poverty is first on the list. The overall objective of any proposed project should therefore be able to assist Nigeria to reduce the spread and mitigate the impact of HIV infection by strengthening our response locally to the epidemic. This can be achieved by creating an enabling environment for the response to the HIV epidemic and, surmounting up HIV/AIDS subsumed activities at the state and local levels of the federation.  In addition, our concern against HIV/AIDS should be to harmonize healthcare management plan, capable of reducing the propagation of infection and the epidemic’s negative socioeconomic impact, and not sexual abstinence! I like it.

Rowland Adewumi

http://www.rowland-adewumi.com

Robot  # 1 | 17.03.2009 23:45

Rowland Adewumi “Condoms are not the answer to Africa's fight against HIV”, Pope Benedict XVI said as he began a weeklong trip to Africa. He further said Catholic Church was at the forefront of the battle against AIDS, and sexual abstinence and not condoms is the best way to prevent HIV. I love the pope, but what a lazy solution- sexual abstinence! Okay, was he thinking? “Let’s reduce African's population”? According to a Yoruba adage: “ori bibe ko logun orififo”. Meaning you don’t because of headache cut off a head.I am not Roman Catholic, but was wondering what prompt one to become a reverend father? Gamophobia, or to avoid HIV? Of course, reverend father are supposes to be virgin, so sexual abstinence as a solution is an easy prescription. Having said that, I never new Nigeria’s health sector is so superb, because AIDS which originated from California in the United States where homosexuals were first observed clinically in 1981, wa...Read the full article.

davolala  # 2 | 18.03.2009 02:42

Forget the Bavarian i diot, Josef Ratziger, the pope of the thieving and racist catholic church! And by the way, how did he get to know that condoms can leak without having a personal experience? lol! So much for abstinence and celibacy!

ocnus  # 3 | 18.03.2009 02:46

I always thought the comment from an Italian woman to the Pope was best, "You don't play-a de game, you no make-a de rules!"

akuluouno  # 4 | 18.03.2009 04:49

The Eminient Davlola and Oncus, I say peace be still:D It does not go like that. Before Galileo pronounced that the world was round, It was never written that he too a ride to the ISS:D Spritually, it is a well known fact that people can see where they have not experienced:D Samuel, the Seer, saw a lot without being at the theater. So by mere extending ones thought process to condoms, one can easily see that there is a possiblity that it can be fallible seeing that it was made by man and can be abused by some very rampant denizens:pray: Akuluouno in a prophetic and seer mood this morning :2love:

Adewumi A Rowland  # 5 | 18.03.2009 07:15

Abstinence is not and can never be even an option for the solution in Africa; sex is part of our culture. While some do it for pleasure, some do it for the income it brings to make ends meet while others do it due to peer pressure. Please people, does abstinence exist in seminaries and convents?

EthelBaba  # 6 | 18.03.2009 09:49

I have a few questions to you all out there, that take offense with the Catholic Church's views on the solution to the HIV/AIDS problem. 1. What are the teachings of Christ regarding sex? Should sex be practiced between unmarried people? Should married people be unfaithful to their spouses? 2. Now if your answer to all these questions is true to the biblical teachings of Christ. Then my question to you is: Why should any church that claims to uphold Christ's teachings go against his teachings on sex simply because people have a hard time controlling themselves? This is what I think; the church of Christ is the moral conscience of the world. And therefore, it is the responsibility of all churches that claim Christ is their head to be always be TRUE to his teachings, when it is convenient and other wise. Once the church endorses the use of condoms, it’s pretty much the same thing as saying its ok for its followers to go against Christ's teachings on sex. Give to God what's God's and to Caesar what's Caesar's. Therefore let the Church teach abstinence and the government can promote the use of condoms.

ocnus  # 7 | 18.03.2009 11:22

I think you might be missing the point. The Pope wants to ban condoms. He isn't in favour of condoms for married couples. There are no exceptions. The discussion of priestly celibacy is a different matter. Indeed if you read the Bible Peter was married as were many Popes. The issue is whether the prevention of disease, even between husband and wife, is held to be in violation of the Church's dogma. It seems to me, a poor heathen, that anything which preserves life and health is a preferable option to one which doesn't.No one should suffer and spread disease for an abstract belief.

EthelBaba  # 8 | 18.03.2009 11:52

=ocnus;338221>I think you might be missing the point. The Pope wants to ban condoms. He isn't in favour of condoms for married couples. There are no exceptions. The discussion of priestly celibacy is a different matter. Indeed if you read the Bible Peter was married as were many Popes. The issue is whether the prevention of disease, even between husband and wife, is held to be in violation of the Church's dogma. It seems to me, a poor heathen, that anything which preserves life and health is a preferable option to one which doesn't.No one should suffer and spread disease for an abstract belief. How does the disease come about in the first place? Unfaithfulness maybe? The pope isnt advocating that people become celibate and i dont believe my post in anyway suggests that. When he discourages the use of condoms, the major target is for the majority of people that practice sex against the teachings of Christ. Now condoms used in the confines of a "faithful" marriage, I dont belive will fight HIV (since the assumption is the couple has never engaged in sex with anyone other than each other) if you're talking about family planning then that's a different topic. But this topic is about HIV. So please tell me how the pope or any Christian leader can preach the use of condoms without encouraging sex that go against the teachings of Christ. Again, let the government do that, but the church will hold us to the highest ideals!

akuluouno  # 9 | 19.03.2009 05:04

The Rt Hon. EthelBee, Did you agree with Oncus or not that the wholesale papal ban on condoms is not well thought out:D Remember that God made man who made condoms, cars, aeroplanes, panadol, Dettol and other good things which have made life liveable for God's glory.:lol:

Utchman  # 10 | 19.03.2009 09:20

Advocating for the outright ban of condoms is not a well thought out response to the issue of HIV/AIDS and other STDs. Abstinence is good, but there are folks who simply cannot practice it due to the nature of their vocation. Take the sailor for instance; he travels on the open seas for 3 months and finally berths on friendly shores. If he isn't homo, his "bladders" would be at the thresholds of bursting, and you preach abstinence to a man like that? That would be unfair! Same goes to all those other people who travel far and wide, away from the Mrs. for long periods:D On a final note. Prostitution has always been (since the time of Abraham) and will always be, whether we like it or not, the least the society can do is to offer their patrons protection while reducing the spread of the epidemic by not banning condoms.

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