I remember my first night in Owerri as an
undergraduate student of the state-owned university. It was very late in the
evening when I alighted at the Wetheral junction. After settling down, I
decided to explore my immediate environment but the mini-crowd that gathered at
the old Garden Park attracted my attention more than any other place along the
stretched axis. At the not-well-lit arena, I saw the smallest yet most diverse
market I’ve ever been to. Everything was on sale – food, movies, clothes,
electronic accessories… just name it, all within a space of less than twenty
meters. But the section that enjoyed more patronization happened to be the
tattered makeshift tents that were surrounded by skimpily dressed ladies and
guys (including men) who patronized the small sex market to satisfy their
libidos. Without government’s interference except episodic police raids, the
old Garden Park Prostitution Center was a worthy business enterprise that
created jobs for single ladies, and sexual satisfaction for those who couldn’t
practice abstinence.
But that was then, since the Ohakim
administration decided to build the state’s stock exchange at the same location
that guys and gals were digging it. During the series of inquiries that led to
the demolition of the makeshift sex rooms, no customer was consulted and none
of the prostitutes could openly speak against the government’s new project that
forced them to relocate or quit business. The reason for their silence is the
stigmatization that is often associated with commercial sex workers who come
out openly although some of their accusers come to them secretly. And which
mother would be happy and very proud to see her daughter on state TV speaking
on behalf of the Imo prostitutes’ society? None I guess, although some of the
parents have their share of the inguinal-generated tax-free income.
This is the fascinating conundrum that
prostitution is associated with across the nooks and crannies of Nigeria.
According to a popular comedian, every man has at least a friend who patronizes
prostitutes frequently but they are not proud of their addiction and will never
speak for the ladies who satisfy their sexual urges at a bargained price.
Across Nigeria, there are popular sexual
abodes and sex sanctuaries that unite the male ranks and files. The clientele
of these cool spots range from the rich single guy who often asks for room
services and happily married men that prefer hotel services, to secondary
school boys who just want to lose their virginities. The surprisingly large
numbers of these outlets further proves the indispensable contributions that
the pleasure centers are making to national well being, and could make to the economy.
Since the nation is talking about
diversifying its source of income from oil to agriculture, tourism and other
sectors, prostitutes can also be compelled to contribute their own quota by
paying as they earn, and customers can be made to pay sex taxes, just like
VATs. And sexually generated funds could be used to fund government projects
like road construction, health and other state developmental projects.
Apart from the funds that would accrue to
governments’ coffers by the legalization of prostitution, it would be easier
for public sex health actions to be implemented by agencies like NACA, and
medical scientists like me will have the right legal channel when in need of
prostitutes for medical researches. Also, donor agencies would have the right people
to talk to when they want to give free drugs and condoms to commercial sex
workers.
Legalizing prostitution can also help in the
fight against rape since rapists will only have to raise some cash to give to
professional prostitutes that are federally licensed to satisfy the sexual
urges of Nigerians. This is one of the serious steps to take if those at the
helm of affairs in the country really want to tackle this ravaging menace that
is fast spreading across the nation and eating deep into our moral chores like
a metastatic cancer.
Furthermore, just like the way that
herbalists flaunt their NAFDAC registration numbers, license to be a prostitute
would help a lot in tackling the age-long stigmatization and campaigns against
prostitutes. It will present us as a civilized community that sees the
prostitutes as an integral part of its highly varied but closely knitted
demography. It is strong enough to gain the confidence of the prostitutes who
might now decide to come on air later in the future to ask for minimum wages
and incorporation into the NLC since they are also workers – sex workers.
Believe it or not, prostitution will be
redefined if the proposed bill is passed, so will every strand of morality
Nigeria still musters. It is quite unfortunate that various women groups in
Nigeria are still silent over the matter. Even the first lady whose office and
pet project are on national TV promoting peace and literally fighting suicide
bombers is yet to give an official position on the prostitution legislative
proposition. It either shows that these feminine societies are unperturbed or
are not getting their priorities right.
Nigerian women leaders are not the only ones
with priority issues, even the proponents of the controversial law have to be
reexamined. The timing of the bill is a subject of serious interest. At a time
that the nation ranks high on the global security threat list and many are
dying as a result of Boko Haram’s brainwashed suicide bombers, one wouldn’t
have expected libido and inguinal explorations to attract the attention of the
federal legislature like it currently does.
I’ve seen lots of debates on the floor of the
National Assembly and it is worthy to note that honorable members of the house
are more alert than ever. Even the I-concur-caucus wants to talk about the
bill. Does it connote that members of the house have more to gain from the
passage of the bill?
Hers has been one of the strong voices in the
house. But like the first lady, Hon. Abike Dabiri is yet to make known are side
of the unfolding waste of tax payers’ money and printer’s ink on prostitution.
If organogram is applied, solving the
security puzzle should be the topmost issue on the floors of the legislative
chambers. This should be followed by the ageless power crisis. The rising
inflation rate should also be an issue of legislative concern in addition to
ubiquitous unemployment, rising incidence of rape and how to tackle the highly
condemned plan of the Goodluck Jonathan-led federal government to remove fuel
subsidies. Without mincing words, the numerous matters of national urgency and
their decision to even consider the prostitution bill make the National
Assembly look like a big house that is filled with comic people, so funny that
they are unable to fully grasp what Nigerian and Nigerians’ problems are.
Personally, I’m interested in knowing how the
federal legislator ideated the bill. Was it after a professional prostitute
gave an out-of-this-world service to a regular VIP customer? Or maybe he was
courted and lobbied by the network of Nigerian prostitutes. If this is the
case, then other professionals should seek legalization.
Since the national assembly now has time for
such silly bills like this one, they can as well extend the legalization net to
stealing. Since most of the thieves are unemployed, it should be wise in the
eyes of the prostitution advocate to make some concessions for thieves.
It is quite unfortunate that a vital arm of
the government is not taking the issue of governance serious by devoting much
of their time to frivolities and non-pressing issues like legalization of
prostitution, it further highlights the quality of leadership the nation is
currently having. While unemployment and bad economy are ravaging on, and
efforts ought to be how to better the lots of Nigerians, yet their
representatives are busy talking prostitution.
Prostitution itself won’t be better practiced
if it now has the seal of the federal government, and maybe a commission
devoted to guiding the ancient profession. Visiting prostitutes, even in the
Bible, is a secret thing that very few people do know about. We all have
secrets hence the need for privacy. But we’ve been invading the privacy of some
people since the bill got the attention of the National Assembly, and the earlier
we wrap up this madness, the better for us all.
There are bombs going off up north, there are
stronger security threats everywhere, quality of education here has been on
steeply downward slope and with more youths graduating from schools unemployment
rate is in scary proportions necessitating the need for the government to think
fast and come up with ideas to transform this shameful unemployment status.
But so far, government at all levels are not
coming up with brilliant ideas to tackle these and many other ridiculous
Nigerian issues. They are doing what they are good at – feeding fat while the
citizens starve dry. This budding love for prostitutes clearly shows that
democracy here is not yet the government of the people for the people and by
the people since such government would get its priorities right and make the
citizens more comfortable before tackling issues like illegal prostitutes.
Without legalization, prostitutes and their customers across Nigeria are
fairing better.
I remember my last visit to Kuramo beach at
night. The prostitutes their have their own system of government and security
officers are everywhere to ensure that customers are safe and satisfied with
the quality of services rendered, and that the prostitutes are not duped by
smart customers. The story is the same anywhere two or three people are
gathered in Nigeria paying for sex. They have their own terms and everyone is
happy. Why does this government want to interfere with this well oiled and
aligned system?
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