UK based Nigerian Gay rights activist, Bisi Alimi, is celebrating 18 years of life as an HIV-positive man.
In an Instagram post, the self-titled Lucifer reflected on how he discovered he was positive in 2004, and gained courage to go public in 2009.
The 47 year old said, “eighteen years ago, at the National AIDS conference in Abuja and with nudging from friends, I walked into a testing booth for the first time.
“I walked out with HIV positive test result. Two years before then, I had just lost my best friend to AIDS, and he was around 26yrs.
“I have been living with HIV since I was 29, this year I clocked 47.
“Between 2004-2009, I kept quiet about my HIV status cos of shame and stigma.
“Then I realised, HIV doesn’t kill, it is stigma, the shame and the discrimination that does.
“Here is to 18yrs of positivity and many more years to come.
Please get tested today.”
Born Ademola Iyandade Ojo Kazeem Alimi, Bisi fled Nigeria to UK in April 2007 following threats to his life because of his sexuality. He was granted asylum in 2008 and married to Anthony Davis in 2016.
