A Friday night happens to be the busiest day in Lagos for joints and club owners. Prostitutes, strippers and other characters reap from the nightlife business because it heralds the weekend. It becomes the perfect time to catch any target that would come out to display whatever business he has to offer.
The law, approved by the National Assembly, which spells out 14 years imprisonment - without an option of fine - for any act of homosexuality, seems ineffective and this may have emboldened people with this sexual orientation. In Lagos, homosexual prostitutes are gradually becoming regulars on the streets as soon as the day becomes dark.
The law had attracted criticisms from countries like the United States and Britain, which think Nigeria, with such law, has expose a section of its citizens to danger.
The Lagos nightlife now follows an unusual trend with the appearance of gay men at nightclubs and bars. The trend is fast gaining notoriety as the men, who appear, behave and speak like girls, now compete with the ladies of the night, who had been regulars on major streets across the state.
The hunt for a gay prostitute
The journey started from the Opebi-Allen avenue axis of Ikeja where several popular hangouts and night clubs are located.
Driving and chatting with prostitutes of different shapes, sizes, and complexions, who positioned themselves strategically at different spots on the streets it was an experience listening to them as they called out to prospective customers. But the reporter’s disclosure of preference for a male was greeted with abuses such as ‘you prefer a man body to my soft own, idiot?’, ‘why you no nack ur papa?’, ‘fool, waka!’ The reporter luck came when he was approached by a more friendly girl who asked ‘how much you go give me if I arrange for you?’ With a smile that didn’t betray her appreciation of the N2,000 she got to fulfil her promise, she crossed to the other side of the street, entered a dark corner and when the reporter was beginning to think he had been tricked and defrauded, she re-appeared with another lady who she loudly introduced - ‘this is my friend’.
The ‘friend,’ stepped into the car and on a closer look turned out to be a man who tried fruitlessly to conceal his sex with a wig and make-up which his body structure easily gave away. He is a homosexual prostitute.
The homosexual, who was uneasy and left the car door open throughout the short course of the discussion, asked in a tiny voice: ‘you sure say na man you want?, please don’t waste my time.’ The reporter’s affirmative answer calmed him down. How much should the reporter pay for a nice season? N15,000, he said. After minutes of haggling, the fee was reduced to N12,000 for an all night bout.
Then the bubble bust. The ‘man-woman’ became furious when he was asked why he chose to be in hiding and not on the road like the girls. He asked: ‘you be police?’ and before the reporter could mutter a word, he stormed out of the car, crossed to the other side of the street and disappeared into the night.
The prostitute that brought him came back and asked what was wrong and explained that the ‘Dan Daudu’ which is presumably a derogatory name given to them by the female-prostitutes do not operate like the female.
She revealed that they normally have their regular clients who know where to find them, reach them on phone and pick them at agreed locations.
The lady, who gave her name as Mercy, also claimed that because of the risk attached to their trade, they all dress like women to escape unusual attention which may lead to their arrest.
Another source who works in a nightclub reveals that male prstitutes are always in the nightclub. He claimed that some hangouts in Lagos had a different section for such clients who are usually big-spenders and top patrons of their businesses.
The source disclosed he had attended to many of them who, just like man and woman, enjoy each other’s company.
It was also revealed that some of the club bouncers are homosexuals and they got their employment with an understanding that they would attract their male clients.
Another source stated that there is in existence Gay’s Clubs at some of these hangouts who indiscriminately extend their membership to any identified homosexual ready to mix and party with them.
“It is also interesting that some of these homosexuals are mostly bisexual who are married with wives and children yet they come out at night to satisfy their unusual sexual urge,” a source said.
Some of them were said to have married to escape the stigma of being seen as a homosexual and cover whatever suspicion and danger that their real identities could lead to.
A foremost gay movement in Lagos, the Alliance Rights which is headed by Dare Odumuye disclosed that there is nothing wrong in the practise.
In one of his many statements, the Gay club President said ‘there is a lot of misconception out there. When we talk of homosexuality it’s not just about anal sex, some do masturbation, some have sex and some just comfort each other’.
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