By: Friday Omosola
7:30om till 10:00 pm are business hours for some students of tertiary institutions who engage in a form of transactional sex, tagged "Hookup". At Adekunle Ajasin University, the meeting points are major junctions in Akungba-Akoka and Ikare.
With beautiful faces dressed in skimpy dresses, heels, and bags containing necessary kits such as condoms, tissue papers, towels, wigs, perfume, cream; these students wait patiently for interested clients who often drive past.
Since the sex is transactional, clients stop to bargain prices, and one of the determinants of the fee charged is the time spent in the act. As our correspondent stood by the road to observe the process of the bargain, a young man stopped to have a chat with one of the ladies. He kicked off the conversation, "How much is five hours, ten hours, and overnight?" His potential client responded, "I charge ten thousand for overnight, eight thousand for eight hours, and five thousand for five hours." "Too expensive", he replied as he moved In to ask a similar question. With dissatisfaction, he zoomed.
This happens every day; especially on weekends. In a haze of hormones and alcohol, groups of male and female university students meet at frat parties, bars, dormitories, and hook up for an evening of "Sex first, questions later."
As casual as the sexual encounter begins, it often ends with no strings attached; after all, it was “just a hookup.” While a hook up might mean anything from kissing to oral sex to going all the way, the lack of commitment is paramount.
According to researcher Kathleen, the university itself promotes casual relationships among students on campus. In his book, he sheds light on the differences between what young men and women want from a hookup, why freshmen girls are more likely to hook up than their upper-class sisters, and the effects this period has on the sexual and romantic relationships of both men and women after college.
In the real sense, three types of dating relationships exist on campuses. The first is a casual relationship, where a person and another person of interest just hang out with a group of friends. The second type is one where the couple is connected at the hip, study together, eat, socialize, and do everything together. the third type of dating relationship is hookup.
In a university setting, hooking up means having sex. Although it usually lasts only one night and between two people who are strangers or brief acquaintances. Some physical sexual interactions are typical, but they may range from kissing to sexual intercourse. Hookups are usually spontaneous and rarely result in a relationship. It's usually defined by alcohol, physical attraction, lack of expectations, financial constraint, and lack of courage to woo a ladies
Students React
According to a student who spoke with our reporter, many students don’t have the time, energy, or resources to put into a real relationship, while some just like to play the field.
A student who spoke on anonymity blamed her involvement in the practice on lack of financial support.
She said, "The job is not something I am doing with joy but due to my financial problems. After I lost my parents, there was no family member to support my academic career and I had no other option than to opt-in."
A student of the Ondo State Polytechnic revealed that the fee clients were charged based on the time spent in the act
She said, "Two years ago, they charged five thousand naira for a short period and ten thousand naira upward for overnight. Also, your money determined how they will perform sexually.
Another student of Adekunle Ajasin believed that most students engage in this form of transactional sex because of the inability of parents to provide their children's tuition fees and school materials.
However, a student who pleaded anonymity affirmed that the situation is not about parents but peer influence.
She said, "I have a friend, we both gained admission at the same time but today she's now a professional in the business, because of the bad friends she kept in her 100-level days"
When asked if anyone has been used for money rituals during the process, another student of Adekunle Ajasin University affirmed that many people have met theirs during the process.
According to her, "I have experienced it and I had to pretend you be a marine daughter, to escape. Immediately he saw me in that dramatic situation, he took off immediately."
She added that some of their clients refuse to pay the money agreed on, due to what they (guys) describe as low performance in bed.
A student said, "As for me, if I see a better job to do after school hours, I will leave hookup and my private part will rest from everyday exercises.
Way Forward
Reacting, a graduate of Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, Ilesanmi Agbelusi noted thaf reinforcing home trainings is the best way to caution ladies and guys against such an act.
According to him, the engagement of young people in the business can be seen as the failure of their parents.
He said, "The bible says train up a child in a way he or she should go so that when he or she is old, he or she will not depart from it."
According to him, "Many parents see nothing bad in it when an opposite sex is having a close relationship with their ward. As a result, when such child grows old, he will like to become better in the act."
"Fishes are best bent when they still fresh. If they are forcefully bent at their dry stage, they will break."
He added that it will only take the grace of God to stop the business of hookups across tertiary institutions in Nigeria, since the school management has limited authority over what students do outside the school.
A student of Adekunle Ajasin University who was anonymous stressed the need for the government to provide employment opportunities.
According to him, this will be a breakthrough for those in the business because of money.
However, Ayodele Tobi Samuel stated that hookup is transactional and it shouldn't be portrayed wrong, as it is legalized in other countries.
"Begging for money is not a norm for them, hence, they have to do something that can fetch them cash. At least, they are not stealing or disturbing the country."
Also, a student of AAUA said, "You can only postulate but remember you cannot shy away from inherent instinct, environmental influence, and relativistic moral nature. Coming up with a solution to hookup is like looking for a cure to corruption"
Moreover, a student who spoke on anonymity stated that it will take a long time and deliberate efforts to eradicate such form of business in our society.
"Hookup can be reduced or minimised, but it will take a long-term process with the younger generation, and this will take individual positive conscious efforts. Such efforts must be deliberate, starting from the family to the society and a wider space"
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