“Do not prostitute thy daughter, to cause her to be a whore; lest the land fall to whoredom, and the land become full of wickedness.” (Leviticus 19:29).
Abuja, Nigeria’s metropolis is a beautiful and cosmopolitan city, filled with impressive neighbourhoods and estates, functional parks and gardens, attractive high streets and decent highways, and spectacular commercial places and markets; all so alluring that a new visitor to the city could easily decide to take up residence there within minutes of arrival and a lot of credit for its planning and layout should be accorded the FCDA and some private construction companies such as Julius Berger Nigeria Plc, Dantata & Sawoe Plc, PW Nigeria Plc, etc to mention but a few.
It is equally a city of hardship where meeting basic needs such as decent and affordable accommodation could be a herculean task (for rents on what may be considered ‘regular properties’ in the states are astronomically high in Abuja) and so the city dons quite some ghettos with unbelievably poor and sordid living conditions and shanties found in the most unlikely places, facilitated by the natives of Abuja who though re-settled elsewhere by the authorities continue to linger on their plots; wanting to be a part of the new city by all means.
Because many young and disenfranchised Nigerians appreciate this city despite the high cost of living and poor employment opportunities, and desire to be domiciled there; the population of the city continues to grow in leaps and bounds while social amenities to support this teeming population are grossly inadequate leaving many disillusioned and eking a living by unacceptable and ignoble means such as prostitution.
Interestingly, prostitution in this city is not restricted to females for Gigolos, and pimps are known to serve honourable ladies and gentlemen around the city making the prostitution market a vibrant one despite the Prohibition laws against this practice. So vibrant is this market that prostitutes would travel from as far as the sleepy town of Tafa in Kaduna state (a town about 70km to central Abuja and whose name is synonymous with prostitution and robbery) to do business in the city.
Back in the day, Wuse zone 4 (attractive for its eateries, grills, and lounges) was known as the hub of prostitution in Abuja, but then with the reorganisation and demolition exercise of the Mallam Nasir el-Rufai administration in the early 2000s (geared towards returning the city to its master plan); an exercise which saw buildings and business places disappear in many parts of the city including Wuse zone 4, prostitution disappeared from the zone and the streets of the city for a season even as law enforcement agents intensified efforts in the arrest of prostitutes.
However, it is noteworthy that the sex trade has resumed in full swing in parts of Abuja despite police apprehensions and Wuse 2 seems to be the venue at the moment, for so mighty was the fall of Wuse zone 4 that resuscitating the Behemoth has proved impossible.
Considering that Aminu Kano crescent, Wuse 2 is one of the longest high streets in the city possessing similar features as the old Zone 4, it is understandable that prostitutes would now relocate to this area to continue their trade.
What I however find deeply disturbing is the class of hookers you find in Wuse 2. Here is my point, hookers on streets are largely known to appear obscenely dressed with an aggressive, abrasive, and unrefined disposition with the Christian ones regularly answering to names such as Jennifer, Vivian, or Dorothy while the Muslim ones would automatically be Aisha or Hadiza, if slim and Fati, if fat.
Not so with those at Wuse 2 as you can easily mistake a hooker here for a sober lady on her way to evening church service, a fashionable pedestrian just taking a walk down the lane, or an elegantly dressed model judging by her impressive catwalk despite the absence of a runway or a responsible lady by the wayside waiting for a cab (this is especially true of Muslim prostitutes who adorn themselves beautifully in bespoke and colourful native attires, finishing off with a matching delicate veil).
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These girls seem polished and well-raised judging from the polite manner they relate to anyone by the wayside. Before your thoughts travel too far wondering what I might be doing at Aminu Kano crescent, Wuse 2 late in the evening, well I enjoy evening promenades as it helps clear my head after an eventful day and indeed this crescent would help anyone shift attention from the events of the day because of the sights and sounds it presents daily.
After observing these girls for a while, I remembered the above-mentioned biblical text which placed the blame of prostitution firmly at the threshold of parents. Although in a case such as this, most parents would seek absolution, explaining away that “children are surprised givers”, “children don’t turn out the way you expect”, and “children can be disobedient” and ultimately blame peer pressure.
The fact remains that Parents are a major influence on the personality developed by a child in life and the Christian God holds parents accountable for the personality they create out of a child, expecting parents to take full responsibility for the nurturing of their children to present a well- adjusted adult to the society and not a social misfit.
It was my privilege to counsel an ex-prostitute who was heartbroken about her past, some years ago. This conscientious lady was simply a victim of an overly permissive and careless parent who would allow a child to manage her life largely by herself and give to another kind of parent who wouldn’t turn to prostitution. Now more mature and a mother herself, she needed to forgive her mother who allowed her to derail.
Moreover, it should be noted that children rarely mature into well-groomed, well-dressed, and well educated adults without the valuable input of dedicated parents and this underscores my point about the amazing Wuse 2 hookers who must have had caring parents to a certain stage in life to turn out this way.
Unfortunately, improper body language or suggestive announcements from a parent can spur a child into prostitution. For instance, mistreating and humiliating the poor, being snobbish, and displaying an attitude of zero tolerance for the poor just because of poverty can influence the reasoning of an observant child and lead to prostitution or some other vices later in life. Being unreasonably stingy and insensitive to the needs of children in the guise of training them could lead to prostitution.
Conversely, indulging children in expensive lifestyles and products constantly, thereby shielding them from the harsh realities of life is asking for prostitution. It must also be noted that parents who lack tact in handling relationships with their lovers can produce prostitutes.
Finally, given the text above, every Christian parent must realise that no parent of a prostitute can be absolved before God and as such, care must be taken to raise children in the fear of God.
This will necessarily involve selecting a good church where the Bible is taught and Homilies are regularly preached to the congregation rather than churches emphasizing materialism and miracles.
