By Audu Solomon Maiyaki
Public debates about cultural values, personal freedoms, and the enforcement of existing laws continue to intensify across Nigeria. Recent events in Lagos have once again brought these tensions to the forefront.
On 18 July 2025, at a well-known Campala hotels, on Owoduni Street in Bariga, Lagos, two women in their late thirties arrived at the reception and requested a room. According to hotel staff Adenike Akinolu said, they appeared unusual, and they were checked in without incident after completing payment.
A few minutes later, however, an elderly Mrs fumilayo Ajayi a cleaner in her mid-fifties reported that she heard what she described as “intimate sounds” coming from the room. Curious and unsure of what was happening, she alerted her supervisors Mr David Johnson.
The matter was then escalated to the hotel manager.
When contacted by our reporter, the manager Mr Olufemi Samuel confirmed that staff had received a complaint about the occupants of the room. He stated that the hotel’s internal policy prohibits sexual activities between guests in certain circumstances, though he did not provide full details of the policy. He also confirmed that the names recorded during check-in included Olabisi Jibunoh, and Bola Sanni, he shared images from the hotel’s record, stressing that the intention was to verify facts rather than expose identities.
As news spread outside the hotel, a crowd began to form, raising concerns for the safety of the two women. Witnesses said tensions escalated quickly, and the situation could have turned violent had a passer-by not intervened to de-escalate the gathering. The hotel subsequently assisted in ensuring the women’s safe exit from the premises.
When later confronted by onlookers, one of the women reportedly denied wrongdoing, stating that she was married with children and insisting that the situation had been misinterpreted. No arrests were made at the scene.
This incident has reignited public conversation about the complex intersection of morality, cultural expectations, privacy rights, and the legal framework governing same-sex conduct in Nigeria. Critics argue that personal matters are increasingly subject to public scrutiny and fear, while others insist that societal norms must be preserved.
Broader concerns were already building prior to this event. On 1 September 2025, a Lagos cleric publicly expressed anxiety about what he described as a rise in same-sex relationships in the country. In another notable case, 76 individuals were reportedly arrested on 27 October 2023 in connection with allegations of same-sex activity, though little has been publicly reported about the legal proceedings since then.
Advocates on different sides of the issue are calling for clearer communication from authorities. Some demand stricter enforcement of existing laws, while others urge the government to ensure due process, protect citizens from mob action, and approach sensitive social issues with caution, fairness, and respect for human rights.
As with many similar incidents, the hotel case highlights ongoing tensions within Nigerian society. It raises questions about the roles of community, law enforcement, and individual rights in addressing allegations of private conduct especially in a climate where cultural values, religious beliefs, and global influences intersect in complex and often contentious ways.
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