PERCEPTIONS AND PRACTICE OF HOMOSEXUALITY AMONG UNDERGRADUATES OF THE UNIVERSITY OF IBADAN, NIGERIA

Abstract

The practice or homosexuality is of public health importance in the advent of HIV/AIDS. Studies have found significantly higher rates of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections among homosexuals than heterosexuals. Studies have shown that the practice of homosexuality is higher among young people in secondary and tertiary institutions but very scanty information exist on the perception and practice of homosexuality among young people in Nigeria. The Federal Government of Nigeria has proposed a bill to prohibit the practice of homosexuality, but no information exists in young persons’ perception to the bill. The objectives of the study were to determine the perceptions and practice of homosexuality among undergraduates of the University of Ibadan (U.I) and document their views regarding the proposed prohibition of the practice in Nigeria. The study was cross-sectional in design. A multi-stage, sampling procedure was used to randomly select 400 students from four of the thirteen faculties in the university. A pre-tested questionnaire, which was developed using information obtained from six Focus Group Discussion (FGD) was used to interview the students. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used for the analysis of the data. The mean age of the participants was 23±3.5 years with 50% males and 50%females. Majority of the respondents were Christians 262(65.5%) while many were Moslems 38(33.8%). The participants were predominantly of the Yoruba ethnic group 249 (62.3%). About a quarter 103 (25.8%) of the participants claimed to know U.I students who are lesbians while97 (24.3%) knew of U.I male students who have sex with men. Ninety one percent of the participants expressed aversion for homosexuality compared to 36(9%) who held positive attitude towards the practice (p<0.05) a total of 187 (46.8%) males and 177 (44.2%) females had negative attitude compared to 13 (3.2%) males and 23(5.8%) females who had positive attitude to homosexuality (p<0.05). few 20(5.8%) of the respondents had ever had sexual intercourse with someone of the same sex, of these 9(2.2%) were males and 11 (2.8%) were females. A total of 10 (2.3%) UI students currently practice homosexuality with 4(1.1%) being males and 6 (1.6%) females. Majority of the FGD discussants believed that homosexuality is immoral and should be discouraged. Most of the FGD discussant posited that few U.I students are homosexuals but believed there are more lesbians than gays. A total of 151(51.9%) males and 140(48.1%) females (p>0.05) were in support of the bill before the National Assembly, which seeks to ban homosexuality in Nigeria. Education and counseling topped 381(32%) the list of the recommended strategies for rehabilitating homosexuals, rather than five years imprisonment proposed by the bill. Very few of the students practice homosexuality which may be due to the aversion by many people. Counseling of existing homosexual and public enlightenment on the rationale for the policy are recommended.