I thought I had
seen the end of commercialization of human feelings with the next to nothing
respect shown to the most intensive expression of human emotions by the
commercial sex workers (CSW). But this year’s Val celebration, is giving me
cause to rethink on what capitalism and “market” forces have done to life.
The CSWs are so detached and every expression is monetized and
compartmentalized. Just like the different specs capitalism dishes out to sell
the same product, you can get sex without romance, or romance without kissing or
sex without nakedness. These actions attract different prices and like
capitalist driven market, time is of essence. The CSW simply orders you “fine
boy, see nail hang your clothe”. No emotion, no courtesy, after all, if you are
not willing to play ball, there are other customers waiting and willing to pay
higher. The most expensive is the full package of sex with romance. Regular
credit card holders in Tiptop, Coconut Inn and Afro (brothers from Owerri axis),
Sharp Corner, Womanboku, Zone 4, Gimbia Street (Abuja bros), Ayilara, Empire
Hotel, Winnis, Kuramo beach (Lag bros), Enugu Street, Sabongari, Dankasali (Kano
bros). These credit card holders are not limited to these centres as it is
common knowledge that any state that has a higher institution has a thriving
aristo clientle base. Cunningly, it’s these aristo based operators that do not compartmentalize as
they are well paid. Their road-side sisters, collecting peanut for equal service
and at times better gyration, get nothing…
The beauty of the latter group is that there are no pretences of a relationship.
It is simply pay as you go, and if you operate a booster account or business
line, they go home with you and after the night “nursing” they don’t ask for
breakfast in bed, rather like a pastor seen in a brothel, they sneak out before
the crow of the nosey spinster neighbour. They do not expect a Valentine card;
they do not fold their oil pot or declare militancy in their “south-south” for
failure of a “boyfriend” not to remember their birthday; or why didn’t you pick
your call when I called, who is that noise at the background. Most members of
this group, have a fixed address, mostly a run down bar and unlike the
student-whore, they have a high level of business ethics. They don’t solicit
customers and like a bottle of beer are not jealous if another bottle graces the
table.
But the part-time operators, deceiving themselves that they are students, have
no borders and no fixed address. Today they are in campus servicing a student,
tomorrow, in a state banquet in honour of a visiting dignitary, or in sokoto to
wear ashabi and the complementary cards that come with it. They are everywhere
this day, soliciting Valentine recharge card, Teddy bears, eyes-screaming gifts
and subtle threat to “Uncle”, who has no blood nexus other than the one he pours
in and is old enough to be her grand-father. If these group put in the same
amount of time and ingenuity they do in adjusting their dates, diary, coding
names in their cell phone (from Uncle Abuja through Mugu 1 to grand daddy) to
preparing their term papers, the issue of gender insensitivity in the employment
market will be as rare as the sound of halleluiah in hell. Despite their
half-education, they are the most careless when it comes to sex education.
Pretending that they are in a war to unseat madam, they bare all and deceiving
themselves that “uncle” is a respected man in society, and thus not a carrier of
HIV/AIDS. Their seasoned residential counterparts operate a no condom no sex
policy (in Kaduna) and if you must play without boot, they charge you
commensurately for first aid (herbs).
As the world go ago over a Saint whose piety and honesty has been over taken by
balance sheet, breaking sales record, and love songs sang by divorcees, cards
designed by unrepentant misogynists and pedophiles, the Church is launching a
come back. They now organize pick-one (sorry picnic) among their singles and
unmarried on a Valentine day. Instead of encouraging daily expression of agape
love, the church encourages this day of Cupid for lavish buying of gifts. None
remembers the legend of St.Valentine, who showed remarkable courage while in
detention, praying for his captor and above all, wanted his captor’s daughter to
be happy by secretly organizing a marriage between the love birds.
The Valentine celebration should be a daily thing, a way of life of all true
worshippers. For God is love. We should not wait for a day to express our love
for Nigeria. We should like the commercial sex worker,always give ourselves to
the service of Nigeria and feel free to collaborate with as many as are willing
to help her regain her status as the giant of Africa. Like St. Valentine, we
should courageously pray and confront those in power who have held us in bondage
of epileptic power, no water, no shelter and no medicare for the masses, while
their children escape abroad to acquire modern technological knowledge to
continue oppressing the patriotic Nigerians who have refused to embark on
economic exile.
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