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 N5000 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.
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