Lagos, Nigeria – Banke Oniru, a well-known lawyer, activist, and former Senatorial aspirant for Lagos Central District, recently shared a story on her X platform (formerly known as Twitter) about a situation she witnessed in Lagos. She hopes Lagos State can learn from it and take action to address the issue.
The Story:
Banke Oniru explained that she met a young lady named Chidima, who rented a 2-bedroom flat in Oniru, Lagos. Chidima told Banke that she would be living there with her brother. However, two months later, Banke discovered that almost 20 girls were living in the same flat with Chidima. The girls were aged 17 and above, and each paid ₦1,500 daily just to have a space to sleep.
The flat became a place where the girls smoked weed, fought during the day, and went out in the evenings. Banke described the situation as chaotic and unhealthy. After three months, Chidima was evicted from the flat, and her full rent payment was returned to her.
The Big Question:
Banke Oniru raised an important question: What kind of parents send their daughters to Lagos for prostitution? She wondered where their sense of responsibility and reasoning was. She emphasized that if someone chooses to be an “Olosho” (a slang term for a prostitute), they should do so in their own hometown, not in Lagos, where they are far from their families.
Banke’s Personal Experience:
Banke shared her own story to inspire young people. She earned her master’s degree before she was 24 years old and worked hard to gain experience with one of Nigeria’s top ten billionaires in the oil industry. She said she would never have dared to tell her parents that she wanted to rent a duplex and live on her own unless she was married. She credited her Yoruba parents for instilling strong family values and morals in her.
Her Message:
Banke encouraged Yoruba people to hug their parents and thank them for teaching them good values. She also called on Lagos State to take steps to address the issue of young girls coming to the city for prostitution. She believes that parents and society need to take more responsibility for guiding young people.
Why This Matters:
This story highlights the challenges many young girls face in Lagos and the importance of family values and guidance. Banke Oniru hopes her story will inspire parents to take better care of their children and encourage young people to make better choices for their futures.
What do you think about this story? Should parents and society do more to guide young people? Share your thoughts!
