By Fasuyi Tolulope Samuel
Renowned LGBTQ+ rights activist, Bisi Alimi, has emphasized that sexual orientation is innate and cannot be influenced or altered by external forces.
Taking to his Instagram page, Alimi stated that no one can be made gay if they are not naturally inclined that way.
He specifically urged members of the LGBTQ+ community to stop attributing their sexual orientation to the influence of others, dismissing the notion that a person can be “converted” to being gay.
“No one can make you gay if you are not naturally gay,” Alimi wrote. “Gay people should stop claiming that another gay person ‘converted’ them.”
Bisi Alimi is a Nigerian-born British LGBTQ+ advocate, public speaker, and HIV awareness campaigner. He made history in 2004 as the first Nigerian to openly declare his homosexuality on national television—a bold move that led to threats on his life and ultimately forced him into exile.
Since then, he has dedicated his life to fighting for LGBTQ+ rights, challenging homophobia, and advocating for equality on a global scale.
Alimi’s activism spans across public discourse, policy reforms, and social awareness campaigns, making him a key figure in the push for LGBTQ+ acceptance, particularly in Africa, where homosexuality remains criminalized in many countries.
