NIGERIA MASTERWEB DAILY NEWS

*Prostitution in Nigeria’s Ivory Tower
.. I "inherited horrible Concession Agreements" -aviation minister

By Amiru Adamu

Prostitutes have been in business from time immemorial and are viewed as social outcasts by all generations from way back then to date. Prostitution in Nigeria has thrived despite religious injunctions and countless laws enacted against it. Though the act of prostitution is still practiced in brothels and streets of major cities all over Nigeria today, the dark trade has shifted and is flourishing in Nigeria’s higher institutions of learning. Young girls sent to schools to acquire knowledge and become productive citizens in the nation, have found a vocation in prostitution and now practice one of the oldest trades within and outside our institutions of higher learning.

One may be wondering why the act will be flourishing in our institutions, under the very nose of the authorities concerned? One of the reasons I believe is the misconceived notion that students of higher institutions of learning are adults, hence at liberty to behave as they wish most especially outside the lecture halls. But didn’t they take an oath during their matriculation ceremonies to be of good conduct? Didn’t they swear to abide by the rules and regulations governing their institutions? Or is prostitution part of the academic achievements? I can go on and on. ( Continues below...... )

Photo Above: A commercial sex worker (prostitute) in action in a bar.

Another reason why prostitution thrives in our higher institutions unchecked, I believe is because most of the stakeholders in the schools most especially the lecturers are benefitting directly and indirectly from the trade. My reason for so saying is the fact that most of the students who practice such trade do not take their studies seriously, but still manage to pass and graduate with flying colours because they sleep with some of their lecturers and pay some for grades from the proceeds of prostitution.

Though prostitution has been in existence in Nigeria long before now, I believe the present high rise being witnessed is not unconnected with the fact that our politicians who are the major customers of the “academic prostitutes” are paying a lip service to the menace. They patronize the girls in the night and climb unto the moral high ground in the morning calling for action to be taken to curb the menace. I recently interacted with a young lady whom I will like to refer to as madam K. She is a student at one of the teacher training institutions of a certain Northern state.

Madam K. is a prostitute and a pimp of some sort; she explained how she operates to me. Every evening she said, “I visit a hotel where I have a contact who supplies girls to people, mostly highly placed personalities and politicians. My contact usually requests for 5 to 10 girls to be brought and if there is an event in town, he requests for up to 30 girls or more at a time.” When I asked her how she manages to get such a number of girls, she said, “I have more than 200 phone numbers of girls who are ever ready to render service anytime I call upon them.” Her story is just one out of thousands of such transactions being carried out in our society today. This high level of patronage coupled with the usual excuse of poverty has made students of higher institutions of learning, embrace prostitution or “RUNS” as they like to refer to it with almost a total monopoly. ( Continues below...... )

Photo Above: Ambrose Alli University Engineering lecturer, Prof. P. O. Otubu, and a female student, Judith (right) who along with others videoed him stripped naked.
Click To Watch Prof Otubu Video ( Viewer's Discretion Advised )

The deputy senate president Ike Ekweremadu recently asked the senate to consider the possibility of legalizing prostitution because according to him, it has defied all laws. What they failed to realize is the fact that, most measures taken to curb prostitution concentrates largely on trafficking rather than addressing the menace of prostitution here in Nigeria. I am a realist who believes in calling a spade, a spade. I do not expect any legislation or law to stop or at least address the situation, because most of the people responsible for bringing about such laws are directly benefitting from the trade or rather are the so called clients.

In my opinion the possible solution to this menace lies with the parents who should supervise their wards at schools more effectively, since the authorities trusted with the job have failed. Religious groups such as Federation of Moslem Women’s Associations of Nigeria (FOMWAN) and its Christian counterpart as well as other concerned groups should come up with effective campaigns against prostitution in our higher institutions. The campaigns should aim at educating the students on the negative effects of these acts, health and moral wise. Efforts like this might perhaps arrest the situation or at least save those who are yet to go beyond redemption.

Amiru Adamu is the publisher of Northern Wind Magazine.

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