Is The Media Insensitive About Koyo's Death? — I Think Not.

Socialite and former musician, Koyo Bala, passed away last week. The nation received the news of his passing with an expected shock and dismay. As is always the case in these situations, the shock and dismay has since been followed by gossip and judgement. 

A friend asked me over the weekend if I thought it was necessary for the media to mention that Koyo had anal cancer. Headlines in media posts from as far as Ghana and Nigeria have labeled Koyo, as "gay musician who died of anal cancer" seemingly to push the agenda that his gayness led to his unfortunate affliction and demise. 

Needless to say, the comments on these articles have left me personally disgusted by the ignorance of some people. Too crude to repeat here, some of the comment alluded to the fact that this was somehow a punishment to Koyo for his gayness. Like straight people never get anal or prostate cancer!

With all of that, when asked whether I thought it was insensitive to mention his anal cancer, my answer was and still is; NO. 

One can blame the media for seemingly being insensitive but we forget that Koyo was the one who went to the media and told them he had anal cancer and was living with HIV. It is not like the media pried into his personal life. 

As such, you can not now expect them not to use that information because it makes you uncomfortable. It clearly did not make Koyo uncomfortable. 

Was it necessary for him to reveal his medical situation in so detailed terms? Personally I think certain thing should remain private but that was his choice and he had his reasons.

If you are gay, it is understandably annoying to read all these comments from ignorant airheads mocking his death and attaching their homophobic BS to it. I get that. But you can't expect the media to censor itself simply to ease you discomfort. 

Perhaps Koyo shared his medical afflictions with the public to rid himself of the burden of secrecy and shame. Surely he wanted his fight to inspire others to do the same. Why should we now deny him that courtesy to continue his truth in death as he lived it in life? Because it makes us uncomfortable?! The vanity of that unsettles me. 

By denying Koyo his truth, you are not protecting him but yourself. Koyo Bala had HIV and was diagnosed with anal cancer. That is his truth. Bigots can try and defile him because he was openly gay but YOU should know better than to give them power by wanting to censor Koyo's life story.