The fourth edition of the Understanding Human Sexuality Seminar series was held at ARSRC’s office in Lagos on June 9, 2005. Prof. Akin Osibogun, Head of Department of Community Health, College of Medicine, University of Lagos chaired the seminar. The theme was Sexuality and Social Institutions, with a Focus on Religion, Beliefs and Marriage. Three presentations were given by invited scholars, which were in turn reviewed by three discussants. The presentations were:

• Sexuality and the Marriage Institution in Islam - An Appraisal
  By Hajia Bilkisu Yusuf, Editor, Citizen Communications Ltd. Kaduna
  Discussant: Dr. M.A. Bidmos, Associate Professor of Islamic Education and Head of Religious Unit, University of Lagos.
  
• Sexuality and Spirituality: Possible Bed Mates in the Religious Terrain (With Implications for Understanding Human Sexuality in Contemporary Nigeria)
  By Akintunde, Dorcas Olu, Ph.D. and Ayantayo, J. K., Ph.D. Department of Religious Studies, University of Ibadan.
  Discussant: Celestina O. Isiramen, Ph.D. Head, Department of Religion and Cultural Studies, Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma.
  
• Religion and Sexuality: Individuality, Choice and Sexual Rights in Nigerian Christianity
  By Professor Matthews A. Ojo, Department of Religious Studies, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife.
  Discussant: Nkolika Ijeoma Aniekwu, Department of Public Law, Faculty of Law, University of Benin.

Following delivery of the three presentations, the discussants reviewed the presentations to put the major issues raised by them into perspective and pose questions for clarification and debate. This paved the way for the audience to also participate and make their comments and seek clarification where necessary. Following the comments from the floor, where necessary, presenters were then called upon to make the necessary clarifications.

Hajia Yusuf’s paper examined the impact of religious teaching on sexuality, and how it has shaped sexual and reproductive health in Muslim communities. Focusing mainly on the predominantly Hausa-Fulani community in northern Nigeria, the paper posited that there is a widespread practice of mixing or substituting Islamic precepts with cultural norms, and this has led to erosion of Muslim women’s rights granted by Sharia Law. Yusuf identified the causal factors to be ignorance of the comprehensive rights granted to women under Sharia Law, and dearth of resources to advocate for these rights. Another important cause, she said, is the domination of the knowledge sphere within Muslim societies by men, which has lead to patriarchal interpretations of women’s rights and responsibilities within marriage and in other spheres.

In "Sexuality and Spirituality: Possible Bed Mates in the Religious Terrain," Drs. Ayantayo and Akintunde explored sex and spirituality as presented by the three dominant religions in Nigeria (Islam, Christianity and traditional religion). They highlighted the spiritual significance attached to certain events such as the breaking of the hymen during first intercourse between a married couple. They also examined the double-standard prevalent in the application of codes of virginity and chastity between boys and girls, noting, "The culture stipulates that the girl ought to be chaste, is silent on the part of the male." The paper also explored the influence of globalisation on sexuality and its implication for understanding human sexuality in contemporary Nigeria.

Professor Matthews Ojo’s paper on "Religion and Sexuality: Individuality, Choice and Sexual Rights in Nigerian Christianity" focused on the teachings of the Pentecostal Church on sexual rights, asserting that regulation of sexuality and sexual behaviour is important to many religious groups in Nigeria. He concluded that sexuality is confined to the sacred space established by Biblical doctrine and the church moderates individual choices regarding sexual rights. As such, it expects that personal choices must be made within the context of group traditions and expectations.

The seminar drew an audience of fifty-seven (57) persons that included academic staff and students of the University of Lagos, and representatives of non-governmental organizations, international agencies and the media. The next seminar is scheduled for September 2005.