By GLADYS OSEMWEGIE

Recently, I attended a function with a friend where the “Who is Who” in the society were present. It was a get together to mark the end of year. A lot of top government functionaries were there. We (my friend and I) sat in a corner observing events. After a while, I noticed posh cars bringing in girls to the venue. My curiousity got the better of me and I enquired why so many girls were coming in at the same time. I was told they girls were from our higher institutions and were there to keep our “big men” company. I was non-plused to say the least. In this present time and age. The fight against trafficking whether locally or internationally is sure an herculean or up-hill task.

Trafficking as we have all come to know, is the illegal movement of people to other countries for prostitution and other illicit acts. Infact, it is now a household name and many first ladies have established pet projects in that respect. They concentrate on redeeming the image of the country by bringing (repatriating) these girls back home and rehabilitating them. The emphasizes is so much on trafficking abroad that we neglect the ones right under out very nose.

It is no gainsaying the fact that right here in our country, trafficking thrives much more than trafficking abroad. Charity they say begins at home. Have we succeeded in removing the various spots known for such acts? Then why do we go so far away. Let’s narrow it to our campuses. Many people believe that trafficking is restricted to traveling abroad for prostitution. What about the ones that our undergraduates indulge in. What is that called? It is a known fact that some students thrive in this sort of thing. They organize their co-students for men who have need of them. They arrange with whoever to help organise “babes” as it is popularly called. Then the pimp (organiser) gets his cut. That means the person is paid for all the troubles. Both the male and the female undergraduates are involved. The guys help organise girls for any occasion in town and they are paid for it. While the girls who themselves are guest in such occasion encourages their friends to come along to make quick money.

Have you ever wondered why there is so much movement and activities on weekends in the campuses. You know the nature of those pimps? They live big while on campus and they make people believe they are nice and want to help. They appear generous to people why? Because in order to attract these girls, they have to be lose with their things on campus. They quickly step in to offer help whenever anyone is in need. From such help, they then sweet talk some of these gullible girls into going out with them. “How long will you keep suffering like this. Don’t you see so and so. Look at me, do I lack anything to you? I have the perfect solutions to your problems.’ Look, there is a party in town this weekend why don’t you come along I bet you, you won’t regret it”.

Another trait of pimps is that they attract attention to themselves that you cannot help taking note of them. Maybe in the way they dress, the way they flaunt their ill-gotten wealth around the campus.

They live so big that one begin to wonder if their parents have trees that grow money. Why? Because they don’t lack money or anything they desire. The only thing they probably lack is in the area of their academics because while trying to give their social life the best, their reason for being in the campus (which ought to be their primary interest) suffers because it is neglected.

Also, these pimps want to feel important and so, any opportunity while discussing, they drop names of the “big shots” they know in the society. Some other girls see these pimps and desire to be like them. These girls are awe-struck that students like them are so connected and they desire to have that kind of connections and also a sense of belonging. They go to any length for that reason.

There are so many factors involved in this trafficking business. If there is nobody to invite these prostitutes in guise of being students, then there will be no trafficking. Our men, especially the highly placed ones should be re-oriented first, if such illicit trade must stop. Our top government officials are “entertained” with these campus girls by their host. Whenever there is a gathering of “who is who” in town, guess their idea of fun, girls of course. They have protocol officers who help arrange these campus girls to amuse them. How do you expect prostitution to stop when our suppose role models have thrown their morals to the wind. They have protocol officer who help arrange these campus girls to amuse them. How do you expect prostitution to stop when our suppose role models have thrown their morals to the wind. They have thrown caution to the wind and even flaunt them. Stories abound of parents discovering that their daughters who they thought were in school are busy frolicking with the so called big shots in the society.

Let’s also pause for a while to find out why our girls allow themselves to be abused. Why do they compromise and sell themselves to cheap? Greed is the major factor why these girls don’t mind how far they go in committing these havoc. They want to live big on campus. So they live double lives. If these prostitutes in the guise of being undergraduates will learn to be contended and do not compromise, these men will not have an accomplice in these evil acts. Also, there will certainly not be pimps,’that is sponsors or organizers as the case may be on campus. These pimps need the encouragements and co-operations of these girls to take them to our so-called big shots. Why encourage somebody to become rich on your account at your own detriment? Be assured that you certainly will regret it later on in life.

So to stop trafficking in all its ramifications, all stakeholders must live up to expectation.
So, the female undergraduates should learn to value and respect themselves and should be able to say a capital no to such evil vices. That is the first, if not the only way to curb prostitution on our campuses. Don’t forget, the Holy Bible says your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost. So keep it pure.

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