HOPE FROM DESPAIR
EMMANUEL OKOGHENU RAN AWAY FROM HOME OUT OF FEAR OF BEING SENT BACK TO NIGERIA TO BE ‘CURED’. HE IS NOW AN AMBASSADOR FOR THE ALBERT KENNEDY TRUST.
Words: Cliff Joannou
EMMANUEL OKOGHENU
Albert Kennedy Trust Ambassador
Emmanuel Okoghenu, 23, has faced some immense challenges. The son of deeply religious Nigerian parents, he was forced to run away from home at the age of 17 after his abusive father refused to accept that his son was gay. While struggling with homelessness, with the aid of the Albert Kennedy Trust, Emmanuel worked hard to get back on his feet. He completed his A-levels, secured a place at university and now gives back to the charity that supported him by representing them as an Ambassador promoting the organisation’s message to others.
When Emmanuel’s parents found out he was gay, life became almost unbearable at home. His parents prayed every night that he would change, and his father started calling family and friends in search of a cure. Eventually, the situation became so serious that his parents began to discuss sending their son back to Nigeria to get married. When his father became abusive he knew he had only one resort left and that was to run away from home.
Emmanuel always knew he was attracted to men. Like most young gay guys, his early experiences included playing around with friends. He went on to attend an all boys boarding school where guys would frequently engage in same-sex encounters. “Someone would come to you and tap your shoes with their foot, and all you’d do is follow them,” he recollects.