CALABAR
– THE economic recession has struck the sex market in Paradise City,
Calabar, capital of Cross River State, forcing working girls to slash
their charges to an all-time low of N400 per insertion and N1, 500 – N2,
000 per night for home service due to diminishing patronage.
An
operator of one of the hot red light zones in the city, Madam Becky (not
real name), who spoke in Pidgin English, told Niger Delta Voice since
February, the girls have been complaining of “bad market.”
“Why
you dey ask me all this kind JAMB question sef, u sure say u no be
police? Na because you buy me drinks, wetin I fit tell be say Buhari
government no favour us at all, if na before, u no go see girl plenty
like that for here, except say Ekelebe people dey disturb. We dey settle
them well well, but since February, the business don bad well well,”
she lamented.
At some of the brothels and spots in Calabar South
visited by this reporter, the story was the same. A street walker,
Princess, who spoke to our reporter after much haggle, purchase of a
bottle of beer and food for her, said: “I finished My WAEC before I
joined this runs oo, my father died that same year and my mother is not
too strong to take care of all of us.”
“My father’s people
accused our mother of our father’s death, so life has indeed being
difficult. I actually came to Calabar in November 2015. I am from Orlu
in Imo state but I started this business in Owerri before I moved to a
joint in Obiagu in Enugu. Then for a change of environment, I decided to
come to Calabar , last year, because I heard that there is usually a
boom during the Calabar Carnival and I witnessed it, but things started
changing around February,” she said.
According to her: “We used
to collect a minimum of N500 naira for a round of sex but it started
going down after that Valentine celebration. My customers in a day
before used to be between 20 –35 when business was good, but as I am
talking to you, my highest in a day is no longer up to 18 or 20 when
there is a boom.”
“Upon say I be slim-fit, the only time we have
business now is when they pay salaries, during festivities and public
holidays,” she asserted. At a spot on Lugard Street, one of the call
girls accosted our reporter, saying, “No be N500 again oo, Buhari don
make us bring down the price, port one and get one free “ she said.
“If
you want home service, just tell me na only 2k I go collect but you go
buy be drink and suya ooo with Indomie, but if you want sharp sharp, na
N500 I go collect for one round ooo, “ she added.
According to
her, “We just dey manage to survive, wetin man pikin go do, people no
dey patronize us like before again, de only hope wey we get some time na
some of our regular customers and during some weekends and holidays,
but we nor get choice than to reduce wetin we dey charge before.” she
asserted.