Popular Nigerian gay clergyman, Jide Macaulay, says he now understands that the true meaning of gay is ‘God Adores You, God Accepts You, God Anoints You and God Assured You’.

According to the 54-year-old-pastor, Gay has become powerful for him. He said this in an interview with The Huffington Post.

”Over the years, Gay has become powerful for me and as a person of faith, I believe that Gay means God Accepts You, God Adores You, God Anoints You and God Assured You” he said.

The Church of England ordained him as an Anglican priest last year.

Recounting his upbringing, he said he was brought up in a conservative Nigerian home and he found the bible text in Leviticus which loathes same-sex relationships.

”Being a black gay man is never easy. My journey and education started at home.

“I was raised in a conservative Nigerian Christian Home and it was also around the time I also discovered the bible text on Homosexuality, particularly in Leviticus. 

“I struggled with it at the time but it took me years later for me to reverse the biblical or theological misunderstanding of who I am and what the bible says.

“The challenge for me is being able to communicate my feelings to my parents and also to my siblings. It did not happen until years later, ” he said.

Jide was the founder of the first gay church in Nigeria, House of Rainbow. However, the church has since been banned.

He also talked about how he got married to a woman, had a child together with her, and then divorced her so that he could live his life as a gay.

“My mental state during the time of my separation and divorce obviously over the fact that I had just come out as gay at the time, it was very difficult.

“And also as a black man in England, it was very difficult because at the time I didn’t know many people who were black and gay and also Christians and quite proud about being a person of faith and their sexuality.