We will discuss what the term ‘ashawo’ really means and how it became a profitable business for sex-maniac in Lagos.  The word ‘ashawo’ is Nigerian derogatory pidgin slang which simply means “Prostitute”, escort, sex worker.

It’s mostly used as an insult in arguments and verbal fights and it’s what some elderly Nigerian women call other women who are ‘skimpy’ dressed to shame them.

Although there are others too which are called Olosho, shaku shaku girls/boys, Ashawo Kobo Kobo, which means the person is a cheap prostitute, the issue now is why do people indulge in or become ashawo.

And how this ashawo business became a profitable business, especially in Lagos.

There are a lot of misconceptions about life in Lagos. Many ex-pats who’ve lived in the city describe it as vibrant, colourful, and a huge amount of fun based on survival of the fittest.

However, one of the reasons ladies indulge in ashawo business is a result of unemployment; the city called Lagos contains people from various places in life, but amalgamate themselves into that small room to coexist. The existence of scarce resources chased my unlimited want pushed people to do what they might not do.

Another reason we must look at, how this business becomes so profitable is that most married men are fed up with their wives or their wives are not attractive to them no longer. They feel at home to spend their wealth on young chaps that will satisfy their orgasm.

This, however, is not to deny the hazards that these sex workers face; client violence and abuses, sexually transmitted infections, stigma and rejection, reduced prospects of marriage, police intimidation, and accelerated ageing or physical degeneration as some of the risks in sex work. Many even offer free sex to police officers just to escape the long arm of the law.

Apparently, sex workers pursued several different strategies in managing these risks, including setting boundaries for themselves, being choosy and selective about clients, using traditional medicine and charms, alcohol and drug use, and participation in religious activities.

Look at the job market, it is swapped. New graduates are emerging every year, to find jobs, while the ones that graduated years ago have still not found jobs.

I do not need to remind you all, how many PhD holders applied to be Dangote’s driver. What is a girl without connections to do? Sit around and wait for manna from heaven?

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