It’s just another boring day at the university. I’m from the Publics Relation lecture where the lecturer spends half an hour ranting about how she will savagely deal with those of us who fail to attain the 75% class attendance of all lectures as required by the administration. In my free time, I think about my fellow students.
One thing we are always looking forward to is helping ourselves out. This usually comes at any price since most of us are always willing to live with the consequences. There’s always a cost to everything we do, but there’s also a reward.
It is because of this reward that you will find several university students (girls to be precise) lined up at Makutano which I’ve recently nicknamed the Vegas of Meru town. They have taken it upon themselves to entertain the leisure of lonely men who are always more than willing to pay for the company of a young woman. Since prostitution is nowadays such a strong word, they want to be referred to as call girls, sex workers or any other name that may seem less harsh. How they perfect their art of smiling their way into men’s pocket will always be a misery to me.
In the darkness, innocent souls are out in the cold patiently waiting upon potential customers to come and call upon their services which they offer for as low as 150ksh. They render their services in the dark alleys, rented lodgings or even the client’s car if he has one. But why would a university student with her whole life laid ahead of her indulge in such activities that rob them of their decency?
Some claim to be from humble backgrounds hence their parents or guardians can’t afford to put them through school and give them money for upkeep. So they do it to ensure that they stay in school, finish their studies and hope for a good future. A future that is usually clouded with uncertainty due to the risks involved in their co-curriculum activities.
Others are simply not content with what their parents have to offer. They, go by the “use what you have to get what you want” motto. They want to have the most expensive wigs and weaves on their heads. They want to be seen eating at that expensive hotel with big phones constantly taking selfies for their Instagram accounts. They want to attend all the gigs and get to meet up with the big boys whilst rocking the latest wedges in town.
These students usually in the age bracket of 18-24 are always aware that their business is something that can bring both pain and pleasure. The pain of acquiring a variety of sexually transmitted diseases. That of becoming sex addicts. That of living a life of regrets especially when they get to the marriage age. On the other hand, they enjoy the pleasure of living in the moment. They don’t have to worry about losing their reputation among their schoolmates since sex is the new handshake in campus.
When all is said and done, the sponsor-led lifestyle only brings regret and a world of hurt.
This article was written by Capital Campus Contributor, John Obiayo.
