Prostitution – The oldest profession in the world since the seductions of before Delilah with Samson in biblical times, until last night in a dark corner of the Ojuelegba bus station in Lagos.
Women sell their bodies for money; some are pushed into this notorious profession because of poverty, some because of greed and others, simply for the love of sex. In this installment, Saturday Vanguard explores the lives of students in our higher education institutions, who now appear to be more notable in the races for men and money than their primary goals of getting a quality education.
‘Runs’ and ‘Nobility in the Ivory Tower
This is not a sad Nollywood movie story. In 2010, Elizabeth Ehis, 19, (fake name) had the whole world at her feet. She was writing the West Africa High School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) in the hope of realizing her dream of becoming an accountant. However, life took a different turn when she lost her father to the cold hands of death before the end of the exam.
Even so, Elizabeth, the eldest of four children, continued and was accepted into Benin University in 2012. Things were tough for her widowed mother. But sending Elizabeth to college was a top priority for her. Mrs. Ehis would never have guessed the disastrous mix of these extreme conditions would lead Elizabeth to prostitution. Her mother wouldn’t know that Elizabeth told our reporters the story of her life in a brothel.
Her bad company came from a friend she calls Stephanie.
Elizabeth said: “I met Stephanie at our school’s admission ceremony; we were and still are in the same department. But we only really became close when we met at a party where we chatted and socialized. At first, I thought she was a lesbian because of the way she asked about me. Then she told me that I didn’t deserve to live a mediocre life at school and that I needed to improve. She introduced me to friends who called me when there was a party to attend. At one of the parties we attended, they introduced me to the big guys.
At first, I didn’t understand what was going on, until it became clear that each girl had been paired up to have sex with an old man. I was very reluctant about it and left the party in anger. The next day at school, Stephanie was very angry with me and asked me why I was behaving like this. After many long thoughts, I eventually gave in to what she had suggested.
My first night was with a man who had just arrived from Malaysia and after a long night of sex he gave me N10,000. Although I was glad, I wasn’t used to receiving that amount of currency immediately. However, I was also very angry because the guy used me very roughly at night. He had a lot of energy and he never let me sleep. He took me on more than five rounds and I was very tired,” she said.
After that first night, Elizabeth never looked back. “I’m used to all of this and make over 5,000 naira a night. I have to split a portion with the person who brings me the offers and send some of the money home.”
She said that if she found a better source of income, she would give up the trade. But this is her life now. In schools, cases like Elizabeth’s are not uncommon. It’s just that the names used to refer to these girls tends to change. One of the popular terms is the word ‘Aristo’. The term evolved from the English word ‘aristocracy’ which means a class of people with special status and privilege, especially hereditary nobility.
This shows that Aristo’s class of prostitutes are high ranking people and use commercial sexual language different from the girls offer the same services on the side of the road. ‘Aristos’ also known as ‘runs girls’ are a brand of prostitutes found on campuses. They are students.
Linda Okoye, an Aristo, from the Nigerian Institute of Journalism in Lagos tried to provide more information on this. In an interview with Saturday Vanguard, she said: “There is no difference as both can be called prostitution. But what differentiates the two is that ‘runs’ pay more than normal prostitutes. From my experience. I’d say ‘runs’ are more high-end or high-profile prostitution.
Furthermore, ‘runs’ are a type of contract profession while curbside prostitution is like daily sex work in which the person doing it is paid according to the time they spend with their clients. “For instance, an average prostitute can earn N2,000 for 15-20 minutes of sex. But an Aristo can serve for 24 hours.”
Another thing about the average prostitute is that she has can have sex with her clients on the sides of the road like next to banks and gas stations but the girls who do runs use the best hotels they have, they work on contracts and are frequently visited by rich men such as company executives, politicians, businessmen, etc. What these rich men do is contact these girls through an agent. These agents are like ordinary students. If you go to any university, you will always find them there because they are the ones that bring business to the girls in the school. Sometimes you can get N250,000 or so to spend in a week or two with a rich man.
“The girls doing runs are like high-class prostitutes. You don’t see them often. They only come if you have a job for them. For example, I have a few friends who go to school in Rivers State, Imo State, Cross River, etc. who will work in Lagos or Abuja. Runs girls don’t act like prostitutes. In fact, most of them are undergraduates and graduates.”
A second-year student at the University of Benin, Dorothy Akpenor (fake name) revealed to Saturday Vanguard that her former roommate was involved in the runs business, adding that she was invited to join the group, but she declined. When asked what it was like to live with such a student, she replied: “I was very upset about it and often told her about giving it up. One time she came back and told me she was still emotionless during sex and that she felt guilty when naira notes were given to her. But she felt better about being able to meet her financial obligations, especially regarding her studies.”
She added that she once advised her to stop “running”, but to no avail. “I asked her to stop. To me, her excuse was unacceptable because I knew her family was not that poor.”
She says her friend comes back with an average of 20,000 to 30,000 naira. But she would never resort to it, adding that if she needed money, she would rather talk to her parents and family members than engage in prostitution.
Dorothy added that some even do so out of desperation, even going as far as using charms on their unsuspecting male clients to get huge sums of money from them.
Girls from universities are now flocking to parties in several cities across Nigeria. Most of the time, the agents are the classmates who organize them. Their presence is common not only in cities with higher education institutions but also in cities near and far. They are the Aristos in the social world. They are everywhere. In personal, corporate, partisan and highly entertaining evenings at various government offices, we found Aristos lively and always ready to serve men who could be their grandfathers. He pointed out how much value has gone down. On a posh evening in Warri last year that one of our reporters attended, the venue turned colorful and warm when two buses carrying Aristos arrived. The guests had a wonderful time.
A few hours after the end of a CAF match in one of Nigeria’s cities, a party was held at Government House to celebrate the victory. Aristos pervaded the place. A senior government official booked them in advance. The party was fun but so weird that some people left with more than one Aristo. Orgies are not uncommon among Aristos when the salary is good.
Poverty, despair or pure greed?
The issue of poverty may not be the absolute reason many young female students pursue this lifestyle, but it certainly contributes in some cases. However, the results show it’s often more apparent in girls who move from normal school life, after a few Aristo runs, to high life after a struggle to maintain their lifestyle. with which they are familiar. A chic innocent student with a taste for fashionable clothes, shoes and designer handbags would be vulnerable to such an act. She would choose “less stress, more money” with top executives for one night to maintain the lifestyle she has chosen for her.
Nike, a 300-level student at UNILAG corroborated this opinion saying: “It’s a way of life, not poverty as people say. Why can’t they do something more decent than runs? Why are they stuck in this immoral act? Some of them make so much money that you’ll agree it’s ethical, or else they’ll give up if it’s all about poverty. You will find them buying and wearing expensive clothes, shoes and bags. Is that poor?” Nike asked.
But what about a girl who goes back to school and her parents give her around 20,000 naira to cover her tuition? There are students in higher education institutions who get even less. The boys struggled, calling one or the other for help. Some do odd jobs to survive. Some girls from such difficult circumstances also look to relationships to help them. But many schools run to school to catch up. And once they start earning more money and living more prosperously than before, they will find it hard to stop.
Responding to that situation, Ms. Ayodele Kolawole, a retired teacher, said: “It’s scary because you don’t know what these kids are doing outside and you can’t be with them. I trust what my children are doing, but sometimes you just can’t underestimate the peer pressure that they might be experiencing. I used to tell my kids about all kinds of pressures at the university because they went through the system, but to a large extent. I think it has to do with poverty. If a student had everything she needed, I don’t think she would be in on the act. Home training is also important, parents have a lot of work to do to give their children a good foundation. This problem must be addressed immediately because with the current problems, our children are in danger.”
Queen, as she is affectionately called, was nonchalant when she told Saturday Vanguard that she was in business simply for the love of money and sex. She targets new men from abroad because they have more money to spend. She speaks: “I like sex, there’s no condition that drives me to it. I also like money so I can do whatever I want.”
Unfortunately, the University of Lagos, UNILAG, Akoka is also known for having sex work on campus. The location close to places like Yaba, Surulere, ensures a constant flow of rich “customers”. Chidinma Akpan (fake name), a student spoke to Saturday Vanguard who was staying at the popular Moremi Hostel, which is known for hosting such girls.
She said: “Men go to the female hostel at night to visit women. If the lady chooses to meet the man in question, the two will have a good time. If she refuses, the man will move on to the next girl until he find what he is looking for. Other times it’s more complicated than that.
Aristos works with boys running errands in girls’ dormitories. These guys show rich men pictures of different girls and the men choose whoever they want. Just like choosing a style of clothing from a catalogue.
Felicia Jinadu, also a UNILAG student, laments her experience with these playful men. “I never wanted to do this but I still get approached in the evenings, maybe because of my size. I have heard of cases where some of our mates go with these men and never come back. Some of these girls joined because of peer pressure. I heard someone bought a car worth 7 million naira for a woman he rented, so they girls are in for what can be received. Some of these girls come from good families but aren’t happy with what they’re getting from their parents.”
Linda told Saturday Vanguard about this. “Engaging in runs has become a kind of career for some people. It’s like a hard drug, if you don’t take it for a day, you won’t be well. Money is the attraction. But it is not an everyday thing. However, when they go out, some make a decent amount of money. It all depends on who they meet.”
Students make runs from Abraka University in Delta, IMT and ESUTH in Enugu, University of Benin, University of Calabar. Abuja, Owerri, Ibadan, Abeokuta, llorin are also hotspots.
The Solution
Sex education expert and consultant Praise Fowowe says the source of immorality in naive students or prostitutes can actually always be traced back to a history of sexual abuse.
“I have counseled over 300 prostitutes,” he said, “and I have not met any of them who were not abused as children. Most of these girls were abused by fathers, uncles and even pastors at tender ages. Upon entering institutions of higher education, many of them have become so out of it that they are easily lured into a kind of prostitution that they label many things. For me, poverty has nothing to do with it. It’s an identity crisis. These girls don’t know who they are. This is why parents need to make sure they are with their children at all times. They need to let their children have good self-esteem, emphasize moral education, no matter how difficult the circumstances. Why are so many people so poor while their daughters live a disciplined life? So, it’s not necessarily poverty, although some say it contributes to it.”
Pastor (Mrs.) Chioma Akin-Adekeye, who has helped rehabilitate and counsel women who want to get out of prostitution, has this to say: “The solution is you have to sympathize with them and educate them about alternatives. These prostitutes have an unusual audacity, so they don’t allow people to bully them. If you go to them, accuse them or put them down, you won’t succeed. You must understand and sympathize with them. Find out why they are in it and provide them with better alternatives. You’re not just telling them to stop, but you’re not providing them with alternatives. Let them know what they can do to help themselves. Don’t start talking to them about the dangers and downsides of their actions because these are things they already know. Most of them are willing to face the consequences. Like drug addiction, some are addicted to it. What they need is rehabilitation. Students who do that need a lot of guidance, but it’s always better to start early in the family before things get out of hand. Children who are close to their parents and always receive guidance from their parents rarely go astray.”
By Tonnie Oganah
