On a Tuesday evening, WITHIN NIGERIA visited one of hospitable settings in Ilesa metropolis. At Okesa, an avenue in Ilesa, this location is a lovely edifice. Together with two bars, it had a grocery store and a children’s store. It is known as “VALUMALL,” and it is one of the most appealing cool areas in the city.
Just on time, at 7:45 o’clock, the reporter arrived at the mall. He noted that there are two bars there; one is on top of the building; dimly lit by colored bulbs mostly red and the other is positioned at the back of the structure, with a pool for swimming available at a reasonable fee.
Security personnel monitor visitors ascending to the building’s summit at night, and a backup DJ is on call to play enjoyable music to keep visitors entertained.
Before this reporter arrived, there were numerous reports of underage sex workers and numerous others occupying a junction only a few meters from the mall, as well as a line-up of young females with easy virtue in front of a filling station identified as Kentab Petroleum Station near the mall at night. In order to verify this allegation firsthand, this reporter hung out at the mall.
The Story
As this reporter stepped out of the bar, he noticed a large number of young people hovering around the parking lot of the mall.
There are a retinue of shops immediately opposite the mall, so this reporter crossed to the other side of the road and sat in front of the shop as he observed the state of things.
Four young sex workers had arrived at the initial location—a building next to the mall—around 8:30 p.m. When the reporter got closer to the scene, he spotted two men and two women talking, as well as another young man smoking excessively while sitting on a nearby wooden structure.
The reporter had gone over to Seun, who was sitting next to him, a few minutes before. Do you too like to see these sex workers or listen to the mall music? The reporter started the conversation by posing the first question.
Seun pointed to a kiosk that housed a young man in his early thirties who makes noodles for a living and said, “I come here to eat here every day.” To buy himself some time before engaging Seun more, the reporter ordered a plate of noodles with two fried eggs.
This reporter again said playfully, “So you like noodles and watching these hot girls too.” What is there to like? Rather astonished, Seun (not real name) said, “They fight and insult themselves most of the time.”
They have not come out in full. Some people continue to hide. They start to show up in large numbers around 9:15p.m or 9:30 p.m. If you could wait until 9:30 or 10:00 p.m, they would be many, form a long line, and be relatively less expensive as well, Seun observed.
Under age and young girls in the business of sex for pleasure
A few minutes later, the “noodles guy,” the cook, offered the reporter a dish of prepared noodles and fried eggs. The reporter extends N1000 to him and asks him to pack it inside a covered plastic dish while gracefully waiting for the change.
The reporter tapped Seun, who was already distracted by the dish he was eating, and announced that it was already 9:30 p.m.
I looked at the first location, a building beside the mall, and observed more than six young ladies who wore gowns fashioned from showy material that enhanced their figures (boobs and bums).
The reporter got up, said goodbye to Seun and the “noodle guy,” and headed towards the “KENTAB” fuel station. There, he spotted young girls maintaining a line infront of the fuel station while dressed in sexy and outrageous outfits as they lean on short iron gate.
Seniority/hierarchy exists
The reporter noticed that there was a hierarchy, or perhaps a better term would be “seniority,” in the company. In addition to the presence of small and very young girls, who should be in the age range of 15, 16, or 17, there are also older women. The complete population of sex workers at the place can be separated into two; underage girls and young females.
A young girl who subsequently identified herself as Yemisi was signaled to by the reporter. Balancing, she turned the signal off. She repositioned her body and stepped closer to the reporter after several attempts.
When questioned about why she initially disregarded the alert, she stated that one ‘Aunty Bose’ who is likely older than her had asked her not to go.
Can we move away from your colleagues? She disagreed and after being persuaded, she decided to move a little bit away from her current position. Who is Aunty Bose? Why did she ask you not to come and see me? the reporter gently asked her.
She’s my older sister,” Yemisi (not real name) said. Are you sisters by birth? No, she answered sternly. She highlighted that although we both live on the same street, she is older than my older sister. If she is aware of her true age, the reporter inquires. She is a woman of age, 21. 19 years old is my sister’s age. And by May, I’ll be 17,” she continued.
How come you called me? Why are you asking me this? I’m not here for lengthy discussions. I have no interest in them. what’s going on? A charming young girl questioned the reporter while frowning.
N15,000 per night
Is it wrong for me to get to know someone who I might be spending the night with? The reporter enquired. The reporter asked her another question before she could respond. What does it cost? What’s the deal I mean? After complaining for a while, she finally responded to the follow-up query. She retorted, “I charge N15,000 per night.” Three rounds, she said, two before bed and one before morning.
What? N15,000 is currently quite expensive. The reporter screamed, “I can spend N8,000 just for a night.” Am I really so cheap? Not a cheap girl, I am. You know you’re poor, so why are you here? Is having sex a forced act? She lashed out at the reporter aggressively. If you can make it N12000, I can still manage it, says Yemisi as she walked out of the reporter. She uttered some abusive words or curses this reporter could not grab.
Prices goes down with time
When this reporter returned to “the noodles guy” after leaving Yemisi, Seun had already left. A short while later, the reporter returned to the location. A different girl, later identified as Damilola, was spotted by the reporter, who signaled to her.
The young woman, who had dark skin and appeared to be between the ages of 15 and 17, approached the reporter while grinning. She was dressed in a short white gown that revealed her sexy figure.
The reporter gestured to a black sedan and asked, “May we move closer to that car?” She did not object and let the reporter take the lead in the stroll.
Why was your colleague so harsh? reporter enquired. What do you have to give me? My night bill is for N15,000. You would greatly enjoy me if you treat me nicely, she retorted. Did she not hear me at all, or was she uninterested in talking? The reporter reflected.
While he watched her checking her phone, possibly for the time, the reporter said, “I truly want you but I can only pay N10,000.” Already, it was 10:40 p.m.
Can you get to N12000?” she asked quietly. After much convincing, both parties decided to N11,000 after the reporter insisted on N10,000.
The reporter had no desire to patronize or pay her anything. The reporter took her account number and promised to credit her half payment before they left in order to keep her waiting.
Aren’t you too little for this kind of business, the reporter inquired as they made a false transfer. She took it personally and warned the reporter that she would leave if he didn’t handle his business.
How does that make you feel? What’s your business with that? In this industry, there are countless girls that are younger than I am. What’s the big deal, then? Why are you also here?
You’re not Olosho too, are you? You and other people who make saint claims are worse. Do you think I don’t own my body? When she went away, she cursed at the reporter in an indigenous tongue.
This reporter suspected trouble when he saw her talking to her companions and hurriedly left the area.