Bisi Alimi

Bisi Alimi (b. c. 1975) is a Nigerian-British civil rights activist and student who achieved notoriety in Nigeria when he became the first gay Nigerian to be interviewed on national television.

History

Alimi was, until 2004, a student pursuing a bachelor's degree in Theater at the University of Lagos. However, in 2003, he was outed by the school newspaper during student government elections, and was eventually expelled from university before he was able to receive his degree.

Later in 2004, he was selected by a national television presenter to be the Nigerian face of homo-sexuality at the 4th National Conference on HIV/AIDS in Abuja. That same year, however, he was brought onto Funmi Iyanda's New Dawn talk show on the Nigerian Television Authority; it was here and then that Alimi announced his homosexuality and asked for acceptance from the public [ [http://www.mask.org.za/printpage.php?id=1506 the way i am: interview with bisi alimi] - By Chude Jideonwo "(Source: Farafina Number 8, edited by Molara Wood)"] .

Almost immediately, the repercussions for both Alimi and the interviewer were felt: both love letters and death threats were emailed and sent to Alimi, and he was thrown out of his home and his job, while New Dawn's Friday edition was cancelled and further interviewees were screened by the NTA in a country where censorship against homosexuality is already tight [ [http://fiyanda.blogspot.com/2008/01/right-to-life-and-live.html Right to life and live] - by Funmi Iyanda, Monday, January 28, 2008] .

In July 2005, he helped found the Independent Project for Equal Rights-Nigeria, serving as Executive Director of the organization's Nigerian LGBT Youth Group. He also worked as director of the Alliance Rights, Nigeria's youth programmes.

In 2008, Alimi was granted asylum in the United Kingdom, where he currently resides in Lewisham. He now pursues his Second degree in media and journalism at an undisclosed university.

In December of 2007, Bisi Alimi, lost his beloved partner to severe chest infection, and this led to him suffering severe mental health issues. He was halped by his family and friends to get back no his feet and take life one day at a time. Presnetly he manages a project for African Men who have sex with Men in East London, a project he is so passionate about.

Bisi Alimi has become a spoke person for African gay men in the United Kingdom working with organization like AHPN, THT and Mesmac in the North east of England to set up project for newly arrived African gay immigrants in the United Kingdom. He was elected a member of the IAS youth organizing member for the Mexico 2008 and was a member of amFAR review panel for the international grants for African MSM AIDS initiative.

A lover of Tennis, football and Music. He is hoping to change views of Africans about homosexuality through movies and short films.

References

External Links

* [http://www.ysm-rightsorg.page.tl/ Independent Project for Equal Rights-Nigeria]