Whenever prostitution is mentioned in the past, one state in Nigeria that stood out was the former Bendel State.

After the separation of the State to Edo and Delta, Edo took over and one cannot forget in a hurry, the exodus of Benin girls to Italy. Then, it was difficult to point to a family that does not have one or two people working as sex workers in Italy.

The trade was so rampant that the Italian government was arresting and deporting the girls back to Nigeria almost on a weekly basis.

Then, some families sold their properties just to send their daughters to Italy in order to get their own share of the dollars. Parents were encouraging their daughters especially when they saw what the others were using their foreign currencies to acquire.

However, that is not to say there were no other tribes from Nigeria in Italy also plying the oldest trade but Edo girls stood out. Many of them went through the desert just to get to Italy by all means, however, many were not that lucky as they died on their way.

Years after that episode, the two states (Delta and Edo), continued their rivalry, this time around on the field of play in sports because the governments of the two states engaged their youths in meaningful ventures after the Italian adventure.

For instance, Delta state revived all the sporting facilities and engaged the youths and because of that, they have been dominating sports in Nigeria and producing talents that are representing the country. Their closest rival was Edo state, also following suits in reviving their sporting facilities, not forgetting the Ogbemudia stadium which was abandoned for many years.

Recently, the rivalry seems to have resurrected in prostitution again and this time around in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire. During a recent visit to the Ivorian country otherwise known as Petit France meaning Small France, Nigerians in their numbers between the age of between 10 and 20 years old were seen prostituting.

As usual, the dominant tribes are the girls from the old Bendel State, the present Delta and Edo states. They presently have the highest number of sex workers in Abidjan, Koumassi, Bingerville, Somutu, and other ghettos mostly in the forest according to our source.

For every rescue or escape made, out of 10, they always have a minimum of three to four Deltans and two to three Edo girls, while Benue and other tribes share the remaining four or three.

Meanwhile, some people who don’t want their tribes to be mentioned in the media as being associated with prostitution, quickly rallied round, called their Government Houses who sent money for the girls to be sent to Nigeria.

Attempts were also made by some Deltan residents in Abidjan. Yours sincerely got in touch with some aides to the Governor but they assured that the State Government was going to do something about it.

President of the Deltan Community in Cote d’Ivoire, Chief David Ogbu said the situation is becoming embarrassing and the government of Cote d’Ivoire is not happy with the Nigerian government.

Chief further revealed that so many Deltans especially Urhobo girls have lost their lives in Cote d’Ivoire. He said, “There was a time, there is no month they don’t call for the death of Urhobo girls killed while prostituting here. It was so pathetic and our hands are ties. We have spent so much money repatriating some and also treating some for one illness to another.

“We are using this platform to call on Delta State Government to come to our rescue and save us from this embarrassment. It is too much for us to bear,” he concluded.

Recalled that during the last administration of Ifeanyi Okowa, it was unheard of that Deltan girls were prostituting. The girls we spoke to all admitted that they just arrived in Abidjan some months back between January and September. They claimed that they were doing something before but because the economy was no longer friendly, they were lured by traffickers into prostitution.

A 13-year-old Doris (not real name for fear of victimization) said she was in school but because the parents couldn’t afford school fees due to present difficulties in the country, she started prostitution right in Asaba, Delta state before she took the trade to “international” level. She said whenever she returns to Nigeria, she intends to go and round up her secondary school and seek admission to study law in the university.

There is no week that girls from Nigeria are not being rescued from the ghettos and forest of Abidjan. Meanwhile, A’djame, a suburb in Cote d’Ivoire is another place where they have Delta and Edo girls in their numbers working as sex workers. The funniest thing is that Ivorians don’t indulge in such ungodly acts, it looks and sounds strange to them.

During the tenure of Okowa, the youths were fully engaged especially in skills acquisition and empowerment. The programme got to the remote areas of the State but attention seems to have been shifted away , probably the new Sheriff in town has his own programme he is about to unveil for the youths.

Watch out for interviews from some of the girls who were trafficked and practicing prostitution in Cote d’Ivoire plus the reactions of the Delta Community In President in Cote d’Ivoire.

For comments and suggestions, contact +234-8165273757 (Whatsapp) or 0718271471