Health Minister Dies in London

Mohamed Daudis Koroma

The Minister of State in the Ministry of Health and Sanitation has died in London.

Mohamed Daudis Koroma passed away on Friday 29th April 2011 at his family residence in London after a protracted illness.

Family sources have it that he died of liver cancer, though many believe his death cannot be unconnected with African black magic.

His illness started in December 2010, which forced him to fly to London for professional medical checkups. As he was planning to return home following a successful medical treatment, he was attacked by an illness known as Belt Palsy which resulted in facial paralysis.

After thorough medical attention, he returned to Freetown though with glaring signs of the facial paralysis.

Three weeks later, he was again flown to London for further treatment. He spent a week in London and was again flown to India. From India, he was sent back to London a week ago as his situation continued to deteriorate.

His remains are expected to be flown to Sierra Leone anytime soon for burial.

May his soul rest in perfect peace.  

Stay connected with News Hunters for full coverage of the funeral arrangements.

By Abdul Fonti

Presidents & VPs Who Graced Salone's Golden Jubilee

President of Liberia, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf

President Amadou Toumani Touré of Mali

President Alpha Conde of Guinea

President  Teodoro Obiang Nguema of Equatorial Guinea

President Abdoulaye Wade of Senegal

Vice President of Gambia, Aja Dr. Isatou Njie-Saidy

Vice President of Ghana John Dramani Mahama

By Abdul Fonti

Paramount Chiefs Enter the Main Pitch

All one hundred and forty nine (149) Paramount Chiefs (PCs) from the various Chiefdoms across Sierra Leone are being escorted to the main pitch of the National Stadium in Freetown by their subjects.

Chiefdom by Chiefdom, the PCs are being carried on traditional hammocks into the pitch amid sounding of drums and displaying of various traditional crafts.

This means even the main pitch of the National Stadium is now being thronged by hundreds of people.

Various groups, including the army wives association and the Freetown Players Cultural Group are also making their way to the pitch right now.

Stay connected with the News Hunters for updates of events as they occur.

Few minutes ago, Vice President Sam Sumana, who was conspicuously absent ,appeared at the National Stadium and joined the President amid loud applauds.

By Abdul Fonti

5 Presidents Grace Salone Golden Jubilee

Five Presidents from various African countries are presently at the National Stadium in Freetown, Sierra Leone, gracing the country's 50th Independence Anniversary.

President Alpha Conde of Guinea, President  Teodoro Obiang Nguema of Equatorial Guinea, President Amadou Toumani Touré of Mali, President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf of Liberia and President Abdoulaye Wade of Senegal have already been welcomed at the National Stadium by throngs of citizens and foreign nationals alike.

Two Vice Presidents from Ghana and Gambia, John Dramani Mahama and Aja Dr. Isatou Njie-Saidy are also in the country to celebrate with Sierra Leone.

All the twenty one stands and basement of the National Stadium in Freetown are already full to capacity with hundreds of people still struggling outside to gain access to the main bowl.

Cabinet Ministers, Parliamentarians, Paramount Chiefs, Members of the Diplomatic and Consular Corps, and a host of dignitaries are all present at the Stadium.

The military and police band are all in attendance.

Earlier this morning, President Koroma delivered his independence message on national radio and television.

By Abdul Fonti 

Salone Golden Jubilee in Pictures

Although the 50th Independence Anniversary Committee designed an official logo for the country's golden jubilee, various organizations and individuals created other logos to add their own pomp to the celebrations.

See some of the logos that were put out for Sierra Leone's golden jubilee below.

Official Logo

By Abdul Fonti

Sir Milton Margai's Independence Message

This message was delivered on Thursday April 27, 1961 

by Sierra Leone's first Prime Minister

Sir Milton Margai

Men, women and children of Sierra Leone, I greet you all on this historic day, and I rejoice with you.  

Sierra Leone today becomes a unified and independent nation to take her place as an equal partner in the Commonwealth of nations and as equal entity in the world at large.  For this we rejoice, and may your own rejoicing wherever you are be really full of happiness.
 

We must also face up squarely to the problems which will confront us, and I want you all to understand clearly that the Sierra Leone Government in future will depend very greatly upon the active support and assistance of each one of you.  The aim will certainly be to make a our country a land worth living in, a land worth serving; but this can only be done by wholehearted service and hard work now.  I have told you this before, and I call upon you to give the Government your active help and support.

I ask you to deal fairly and honestly with your fellow men, to discourage lawlessness, and to strive actively for peace, friendship and unity in our country.
 

We have much to do to bring improvements to all parts of our country.  I am fully aware of this and I assure you all that my Government is determined that general progress shall be made as fast as possible.
 

But there is also much that can be done by yourselves to meet your own needs, and I shall continue to support and encourage voluntary local support, whether it is directed to the building of a road, a bridge, a school, or a community centre, a sports field, a water supply, or any other communal requirement.
 

I would like to make it clear that independence will not result in any sudden changes in our day-to-day life.  Whether you are a farmer, a clerk, a trader, an artisan, a daily wage worker, a fisherman, a lawyer or a judge, life will go on just the same, with the same rights and privileges safeguarded, the same type of laws, the same justice in our courts, the same taxes and other responsibilities, the same articles for sale in the stores.  Mining companies, missions, trade unions, hospitals, schools, and government departments will go on as before.
 

The significant change is that we are now in complete control of our destiny and for the formulation of our external as well as our internal policies.
 

I wish you all to be assured that we in Sierra Leone will stand for the freedom and prosperity of men everywhere.
 

Sierra Leone is proud to be a member of the Commonwealth because this great family of nations has exactly the same aims.  We believe in the dignity of men and the sovereignty of states, and we will oppose to the limit of our power any movement of aggression which may conflict with these ideals.
 

This is the time when all you men and women should strive to know what is being done, what your responsibilities are and what the responsibilities of your country are.  The Government Information Service is working hard to help you to do so, and I and my Ministers will continue to come round and talk with you, but you must want to know, and you must bring others with you to listen to the authoritative words of Government, and you must pass the true word to those who cannot attend.
 

As I have said before, Paramount Chiefs, Section Chiefs, Tribal Headmen, and Tribal Authority Members all have a great responsibility to do this, and I expect them all to do what is required of them.
 

Exactly the same applies to Town Councillors and more particularly to District Councillors.  It is not enough to attend your Council meetings, and then go home to sit in your hammocks.  Many of our people are thirsting for knowledge of what your Council and the Government are doing.
 

All your elected people must tell your constituents the true word and bring their questions and desires back to your Councils so that they may be answered.
 

I look forward to a long period of mutual cooperation and unnderstanding between the Sierra Leone Government and the Sierra Leone Council of Labour.
 

Over the past years we have supported and encouraged the growth of trade unions in our country because these are accepted as the best means of ensuring good relations between the employers and employees, and of securing the rights and deserts of trade union members.  

Much of what I have said before in this message applies with great force to trade unions.
 

The Sierra Leone Government in the years to come will depend upon your cooperation and active assistance.  You have an especial responsibility to maintain the high standards you have set in past years, to stand by the rules of procedure in the case of disputes, and to avoid conflicts which may be detrimental to the good of your country.
 

And to those of you who are studying at school or college I say: You are seeing history made this day.  Work hard, for you are the future leaders of your country.  We will lay traditions of which you will be proud.  It will be for you to uphold them and to build upon them in the future.
 

I pray for God’s help and guidance on this historic day and in the years to come, and for His blessings on you all.

'Jog Phone!' I Witnessed It Twice

I have personally experienced the act of mobile phone snatching (jog phone) at least on two instances during the ongoing festivities. Unlike others, i have been fortunate to thwart  both attempts aimed at snatching (jog) my brand new 'Trinity' three sim phone, which was given to me as a gift by my mother. 

It is therefore an open secret that the streets of Freetown are presently not only jam-packed with peaceful celebrants but also with a large percentage of miscreants. These criminals mix themselves up with crowds of celebrants with the sole ulterior motive to forcefully and criminally convert people's properties to theirs.

The first attempt on my phone took place in the evening hours of Sunday 24th April 2011 at about 11:00pm along Freetown Road in Lumley. I was driving home after a visit to my family in the east end of Freetown with my phone placed close to the vehicle's gear. Alone in my boss's Benz 190 which i was using in the thick of vehicular traffic, i spotted the flash of light on my phone. Curiosity forced my eyes out and i noticed that a guy that was standing by the car had flashed the torch to see whether or not there was anything inside the car he could lay hands on. I wasted no time to change the location of my phone from the gear basement to my pocket. Shortly afterwards, i overheard the guy dressed in red telling a supposed partner in crime who was standing by the road that he spotted the phone in my car.

Both of them later crossed to the other side of the road when they noticed that i was trickily monitoring their movement. It was during this period that another criminal dressed in black flashed his torch inside my car with the same motive to see if anything was left careless. At this point, i lost my cool and verbally lashed at the torch pointer.

shortly after that, then came the two criminals who have been monitoring my movement since. One of them hit the back of the car on the left side and shouted in the Krio local parlance: "Bra bra bra, u don mass me foot", meaning: "Senior, senior senior, you have stepped on my foot".

This experienced journalist who was well au fait with what the guys were up to pretended to look outside and allow their plot to continue, at least a bit more. The other one deep his head and hands inside of the other door to grab the phone which they thought was still on the gear basement. Instead of reaching the phone, he was blessed with a severe punch from me. The rest was history.

Again on Monday at about 8pm along Kissy Road. I was also driving my wife, a friend from Canada, his wife, and my wife's nephews, when another attempt was made at my phone.

I asked by friend's wife, who was seated at the front seat to check my phone and see who was calling. It was at this moment that three miscreants from the crowd of a mask devil rushed at the lady in a desperate attempt to snatch the phone. Our alertness was able to thwart that attempt also.

I have therefore decided to take time off the celebrations and sound this alarm bell  here that not all those that are dancing behind masks devils are peaceful celebrants. A good number of them are mixing themselves with the celebrates to perpetrate criminality. Am alerting my readers to learn from my experience and keep their phones. 

Beware! They are everywhere.

By Abdul Fonti

Chaos in Freetown!

The situation in the Freetown city as at present can best be described as chaotic. Vehicular and human traffic has served as major frustration to citizens and foreign visitors alike.

The week-long holiday declared by the government is being celebrated in all nook and cranny of the country.

The beach bars, guest houses, pubs and clubs are jam-packed with people from all walks of life.

The country is celebrating both the Easter and Independence holidays simultaneously with pomp and pageantry, though amid hardship.

The Independence beach fiesta which commenced on Saturday 23rd April 2011 was jam packed with people.

Cars have no parking space; human beings nearly subjected themselves to stampede; and even the featured musicians that were scheduled to perform struggled their way to the stage.

Mask devils and various traditional performers are everywhere displaying their various crafts.

President Koroma will present various awards to deserving citizens tomorrow at State House.

This is the present situation in Freetown. News Hunters will bring u photos of the various events in due course.

By Abdul Fonti

A Strange Good Friday!

Today is Good Friday. This is the day on which Christians commemorate the brutal murder of Jesus Christ on the Cross.

It is the culmination of what the Christians refer to as the "Holy Week", which begins on Palm Sunday, and it takes place two days before Easter.

Whilst elderly Christians spend this day in fasting, praying, repenting, and meditating on the agony and suffering of Christ on the cross, the younger Christians create various caricatures depicting Judas - one of the disciples of Jesus who sold the latter for crucifixion. 

The Judas caricatures are normally dragged and mercilessly manhandled for what the kids refer to as a revenge for Jesus.

Interestingly, the aforementioned manner in which the younger Christians used to commemorate Good Friday by dragging, beating and even tearing to pieces the caricatures of Judas, took a different turn this year. Instead of manhandling the caricatures, the children used it as a means of collecting money.

One of the numerous scenes today in which children were begging money for Judas

The caricatures were carefully carried by various groups of children around the country requesting 'money for Judas'. Door to door, street to street, the children had bowls on their hands displaying their caricatures to elderly folks and collecting money.

 
This is strange! Truly strange! How could the children be collecting 'money for Judas' instead of beating him up for betraying Jesus?

Could it be true that the Churches and parents are no longer teaching the children about the history of Jesus Christ and Judas? Or does the new way of commemorating Good Friday has something to do with the growing poverty in the land?

By Abdul Fonti

 

 

SLRTC Showcases 12 New Buses

There were scenes of jubilations across the Freetown city today when the Sierra Leone Road Transport Corporation (SLRTC) put on display twelve new buses that recently arrived in the country to ease the challenges associated with transportation in the country.

Shortly after the buses were removed from the Queen Elizabeth Quay II, they were lined up and toured along  major streets in Freetown amid jubilations from petty traders, biker riders and passersby among others.

See photo news of the buses at Garrison Street in Freetown.

By Abdul Fonti

Riot at SLPP Headquarters

Deadly fights broke out between supporters of Maada Bio and Usman Boie Kamara (both being flagbearer aspirants of the main opposition Sierra Leone People's Party), at the party's Wallace Johnson Street Headquarters today.

Though the general atmosphere at the SLPP headquarters remained tense during the entire course of the day with various supporters of aspiring flagbearers raining abusive languages against each other, the actual fights started at about 3:30pm, when supporters of Maada Bio physically attacked Usman Boie Kamara in his vehicle, while the latter was leaving the party offices in the wake of a lunch break in the meeting of various stakeholders of the party that was being held at the Freetown headquaters of the party.

Teargas cannisters were fired by the police to disperse the rioters.
 

Several people have been injured and hospitalised.
 

More details in due course.

By Abdul Fonti

Paramount Chiefs Converge in Bo

All the one hundred and forty nine (149) Paramount Chiefs across Sierra Leone have  converged in the southern city of Bo for a grand celebration dubbed Dubar of Paramount Chiefs. 

The program slated to be held at the Bo Coronation Field today Tuesday 19th April 2011 is expected to attract various distinguished personalities including the President of the Republic of Sierra Leone, Ernest Bai Koroma.

Various cultural performances will form part of the occasion, as the southern city is already inundated with almost all the country's mask devils and other traditional performers.

The Paramount Chiefs are expected to receive from the President newly designed Chiefdom Staffs with special inscriptions of the Chiefdoms being represented by the traditional leaders .

The country's Paramount Chiefs were still using the old colonial staffs that were given to them by our British colonial masters, until now.

This is the second time since the country gained independence in 1961 that such a Dubar of Paramount Chiefs is being organized.

Hotels, Motels, Guest Houses and even private residences are reportedly jam packed with citizens from all over Sierra Leone, as well as foreign nationals.

Stay connected for more details including photos of today's event right here on News Hunters.

By Abdul Fonti

Journalists Organise National Public Lecture

The Sierra Leone Association of Journalists (SLAJ) organized a national public lecture at the British Council Hall, Tower Hill in Freetown, on Monday 18th April 2011.

The Lecture had as it theme: “Sierra Leone at 50: How Far, How Near?”

Opening statement by SLAJ President Umaru Fofanah is published in the ensuing.
--  --  -- --

Mr Chairman, Lead Presenter and Lead Discussants at this Public Lecture, distinguished ladies and gentlemen, good afternoon. I would like to thank you very much for finding time to come to this National Public Lecture on the first working day in the week which obviously is a very busy day for you all. Your being here today shows your commitment to the world of intellectualism and dedication to finding a solution to our nation’s myriad of challenges fifty years since we gained our independence.

In the last year or so, SLAJ has been organising a series of talks funded entirely by the BBC World Service Trust. Not only have journalists had the chance to listen to different issues being discussed by different speakers, local and international, they have also benefited from quizzing especially public officials and donors on how funds are donated and expended.

SLAJ President Umaru Fofanah

In the coming months we intend to expand on this to include more public officials coming forward to defend their policies and actions. This will not only enhance open governance whereby public officials will give an account of their stewardship but will also put straight wrong perceptions held about such policies and officials.

Today, as journalists, we are joining the rest of our compatriots in marking preparations in the run up to our country’s 50th independence anniversary. The topic: “Sierra Leone at 50, how far how near” has been carefully chosen. Clearly we have come very far since our nationhood in April 1961. The majority of the country’s current population was not yet born when the Union Jack was being lowered 50 years ago. And what especially our generation has seen has been a rapid decline of our nation’s fabric.

Clearly the decade-long civil war destroyed our country; but perhaps that war only killed a dead man as we were already on a slippery slope. Justice no longer existed for the ordinary man; education was for the rich; employment was for the chosen few; politics was based on cronyism; the list is long and probably endless. Since the end of that war almost another decade ago, have those acrid realities changed? If, somehow; why not somewhat? If, no, why not?

What factors are holding us back to attaining what I dare refer to as our rightful place of prosperity, justice and sustainable growth? Have our huge mineral deposits been used for our betterment, or are still being used for such? Hasn’t our politics become more polarised today than ever before? Are our politicians more concerned about the people they are supposed to be serving than seeking self-aggrandisement to better their own lot and the lot of their families?

How about the vexed issue of tribalism and Colourization in politics which is being stretched to affect our daily life? Is anyone responsible for belonging to their ethnic group for them to be favoured or punished for belonging to it? Why is it that outside politics and favours, tribe doesn’t seem to matter at all in our beloved land? But when it comes to especially the selfish intent of politicians and their cronies, and the backward-pointing overlapping proclivity that politics is, tribalism raises its ugly head? Let me feel free to wear my red neck tie or green shirt without being seen from someone’s heart in stead of their eyes. Let my family name be Massaquoi, Sesay, Conteh, Rogers, Kamara, Bangura or Koroma without being aligned to one political party or another if only to get us nearer to prosperity for all, regardless.

But in all of this we are blessed that we still are a religiously tolerant nation with members of the dominant Muslim and Christian faiths living together in harmony. But beneath the veneer of that harmony belies the threat posed by some new and young radical Pastors and Sheiks becoming fiery in their preaching? How do we keep the gene in the bottle?

Thanks to ActionAid and the BBC World Service Trust for funding this Public Lecture, which provides an opportunity for us all to suggest possible answers to these and many other questions, to reflect on our 50-year journey devoid of our political, tribal or other affiliations.

The Lead Presenter, Dr Kelfala Marah who’s the Chief of Staff at State House, and I were in college together even if he was my senior, and we have fond memories of those days. I regret to inform him if he doesn’t already know that the Fourah Bay College we were at and the one that exists today are different for more reasons than one. Tribal and national politics is eating into the students’ union fabric; itself a mirror of our present day society.

I am not oblivious of the fact that I am not a panellist here today. Therefore I will end here by informing you all, that the Sierra Leone Association of Journalists will in the coming months take centre stage in reawakening the spirit of pride and patriotism in the Sierra Leonean.

The love of our anthem and the country’s tricolour flag must not disappear with the passing of our Golden Jubilee celebrations. The different colours that have been attributed to our national colours during these celebrations stand to show our knowledge, or not, of these colours as a people.

Together we can lift this nation again and make it stand taller than it was, and taller than any other. Once again welcome to this National Public Lecture and may we imbibe all what will be discussed here today for love of country.

This Expensive Free Education

I suppose Sierra Leone is currently operating under a ‘Free Education System,’ but contrary to Government’s intention, heartless school authorities continue to extort and exploit poor parents on daily basis thereby sabotaging the government, thus changing the concept to an ‘Expensive Free Education System.’

It is no secret that these heartless and saboteur school authorities are devising new plans on a daily basis to the disadvantage of parents and students through excessive demands on unnecessary, or better still unwarranted activities’s fees.
 

It is even pathetic to note that the increasing number in school activities introduced by school authorities have immensely contributed to the degrading standard of education in the country.
 

Apart from these new activities that rob parents of their hard earned resources, compulsory school activities that include games and sports have lost their taste since school authorities are now capitalizing on these activities as escape roots to extort money from students and parents.
 

This ‘Free Education System’ seems to implore all the barriers to quality education that the previous educational system deplored thereby creating the enabling environment for the degrading standard in education.
 

The former system of education in this country was maybe expensive but at least standards were maintained unlike the present ‘Free Education System’ that is based on quantity education.
 

Under this ‘Free Education System,’ illegal fees have increased as students are now required to pay examination fees before taking tests. They are also required to pay marking fees before the test scripts are marked, and above all pay other fees before test results are released. Was this a common practice or occurrence in the past system of education? Of course not.
 

What of extra classes that have now become part of normal school curriculum. Teachers now dedicate their service to extra classes (with students for whom they are being paid to teach during normal school hours) totally ignoring school schedules. Are they trying to make people believe that syllabuses are now so broad to the extent that certain topics cannot be covered during normal school hours?
 

Even Prize Givings and Thanksgiving ceremonies that were formerly highly graced by students have now become difficult for them as these activities are now heavily tasked under this ‘Free Education System.’
 

On the other hand, if a parent affords paying this exorbitant charge, the child might seek the ugly choice of not participating. It might however be disgusting to anyone reading this piece to understand that these children face punishment in the hands of these heartless school authorities for non participation in these costly events.
 

What are these school authorities turning the ‘Free Education System’ to? With all these extortions in schools, this is definitely not the true meaning of Free Education. Or are they trying to make people assume that they do not understand the meaning of FREE EDUCATION?
 

Well Mr. Government, if some or all of these extortions that I have highlighted above presently demoralizing parents and students are the meaning of your ‘Free Education System,’ then the need for a reverse in this system abounds.
 

This present situation in our schools is most definitely not in consonance with what free education entails. If only the concept of Free Education is to achieve it intended purpose, it needs to be treated with all seriouness attached. Teachers needs to be adequately paid, schools need to be provided will learning materials and school buses should be provided among others. Mr. Government, do something now. It is better late than never.

By Abdul Fonti

Gbagbo Molested Out of Power

Ivory Coast's Laurent Gbagbo has been ousted with disgrace from power. You need to see how he was profusely perspiring and groaning in pain from a possible mob he received from those that arrested him like a common criminal on Monday. 

Whether or not Gbagbo was arrested by the French or Quattara forces does not matter now. The fact is that he has received the disgrace he was looking for over the past three months or so. I am sure he must have received thorough slaps and kicks as evident in the rough manner he appeared on TV. 

This should serve as a lesson to power-conscious  African Leaders. Hope Muamarr Quadafi of Libya will learn from this and peacefully recede power.

See Gbagbo in photos shortly after his arrest. 

By Abdul Fonti

Preserve Children's Rights

Child Rights are fundamental and inherent rights of all human beings below the ages of 18. These rights are applicable to every child, irrespective of his/her origin, race, colour, sex or creed.

The essential message here is equality of opportunity. Girls should be given the same opportunities as boys. All children should have the same rights and should be given the same opportunity to enjoy an adequate standard of living.

Child rights maybe broadly classified as the rights of all children to: survival, development, protection and participation.
 

Child rights are important to be upheld due to the fact that children are innocent, trustworthy and full of hope.
 

Their childhood should be joyful and loving. Their lives should mature gradually as they gain new experiences.
But for many children, the reality of childhood is altogether different.
 

Through history, rights of children have been abused and exploited. They suffer from hunger and homelessness; work under harmful and dangerous conditions, suffer high mortality rate, lack basic healthcare and limited opportunities for basic education.
 

A child needs not live such a life. Childhood can and must be preserved. Children have the rights to survival, development, protection and to participate in decisions that impact their lives.
 

These should be the basic rights of all children across the world as defined in the 1989 United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child - an international human rights treaty to which 191 countries are signatories.
 

The charter of Child Rights is built on the principle that "ALL children are born with fundamental freedoms and ALL human beings have some inherent rights."
 

A case study to show that the reality of childhood is altogether different is those used by destitute parents to aid them in earning their daily living as beggars.
 

The million dollar question that begs for a reasonable and tangible answer on this issue is what does the future hold for these children who are left to languish, perish as a result of exposure to all sorts of criminal and harmful street lives.
 

They are supposed to be future leaders but see how pathetic is it that they are not treated as such.
 

Most or all of these disadvantaged children this writer had spoken to expressed interest in education. The fact however is, their parents cannot afford the expensive education system in the country, hence have no alternative but to follow them in the degrading act of begging.
 

One of the destitutes, an old blind man named Pa Momodu Kamara intimated that it is not his wish to use his only child in begging, but he is left with no option other than what they are presently engaged in as he cannot afford sending his child to school.
 

It is in the strong view of this writer that if only securing or working towards a better future for this our beloved nation is something serious in the minds of the governments, these are some of the issues that need to be addressed with all the seriousness and urgency attached.
 

These children are not meant to be in the streets; their rights as children need to be preserved.
The children deserve better than this. They are not meant to languish in the streets. Their rights must be preserved.

By Abdul Fonti

The Untoched Vocation of Prostitution

Prostitution at every age and sex is becoming more startling and rampant to a degree that it poses a threat to the future of Sierra Leone. Most disheartening is the fact that the practice is enjoying an autonomous status as nobody seems to care. An appreciable comprehension of my analysis would be to attempt a definition of the concept Prostitution in the context of this piece.

I perceive prostitution as a commercialization of sex (the exchange of sex for money). It can be deduced that this concise definition of the concept lends credence to my initial assertion that the nation’s future is under serious threat. The reason being, a horrible figure of the country’s population cannot be dissociated from this ‘sacrosanct profession’. Let me also fascinate readers with the harsh reality that this practice is not only associated with the feminine sex but that it also captures a greater spectrum of males. Astounded? 

Just hold your breath a while. Please drift away from the stereotyped perception that women are the only committers of prostitution and take a quick snap at those men who cling on to more than two partners or even women twice older, for material gains they stand to make from such relationships.

Many would want to argue that they are not prostitutes because they are not seen at night within the vicinities of the beach or pubs or other notable prostitution sights. Can someone please tell the difference between an easy-to-identify prostitute and a person dating two or more partners in secret? There is none!

Most prostitutes have used LOVE as a pretext to justify their involvement in the act. Love is the cloak used to seal the real intent of unions – extortion of cash from partners with stronger financial status. Don’t be misled, it all hinges on prostitution. Many of the easy-to-identify prostitutes have advanced poverty as the cause to their entering prostitution, an excuse subject to debate.

My opinion on this is that women go into prostitution simply to satisfy their insatiable desires with little or no regard for the moral, social and religious implications involved.

Sadly, this practice has gradually crawled into institutions that are supposed to be held in high esteem. School going ages are virtually seen on a daily basis carrying ladies’ bags, one of the trade marks of prostitutes, roaming from one office to another to do what? Heaven knows. I challenge a search of these ladies bags, to be found will be cosmetics, cloths, few coins, tooth brushes and tooth paste, you name the rest. 

Many wander about with no certainty as to where they can pass the night off. One only need to take a night stroll down one of the city’s major streets to see mostly teenage girls who are supposed to be at home reading, half naked, advertising to get attraction.

The issue of dress is a different thing all together. Most girls have fallen in love with the practice of being nude. Their style of dress has made it difficult to discern what occasion they are set for. 

Most of the dresses displayed by girls are the trade marks of prostitutes. Such people would argue that they are not prostitutes if challenged. The question then arises; why do we have the number of prostitutes increasing by the day? It’s plain! Because there has been a proportionate increase in the number of demand for prostitutes. Don’t be shocked, the demanders are most elderly folks who are either supposed to be models or at least advisers to their preys. To such folks, I say, seeds sown today shall surely be reaped in the morrow.

It’s really nothing but a blot on the landscape. No one seems to be doing anything or at least commenting on this menace. Prostitution, from every indication has attained a status that can best be described as, ‘the untouched vocation’.

My last word to the easy-to-identify and also to the discreet prostitutes is that in as much as no one seems to be bothered about their ugly profession, they must know that God had a special place for them in His heart when they were being created. The idea of trading their bodies thus has no moral justification.

By Abdul Fonti