I hid my status out of shame, says gay right activist, Bisi Alimi, as he celebrates 18yrs of living with HIV

Nigerian gay rights activist, Bisi Alimi, who gained international attention when he became the first Nigerian to come out on television, is celebrating 18 years of living with HIV.

Bisi, in a post, 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 26 years.

“I have been living with HIV since I was 29. This year I clocked 47.
“Between 2004 and 2009, I kept quiet about my HIV status because of shame and stigma. Then I realised HIV doesn’t kill, it is stigma, the shame and the discrimination that does.

“Here is to 18 years of positivity and many more years to come. Please, get tested today.”

Credit: Instagram | Bisialimi