[size=14pt]Sacrilege: Prostitutes Besiege Edo Shrines[/size]
COLLINS EKE (BENIN) AND EMMANUEL UDOM (LAGOS)
, With Customers


EDO is one ancient African enclave where the wind of acculturation has not succeeded in blowing away the tradition; norms and mores. And Oluku, one of the ancient villages near Benin City, the Edo State, capital is well known as an area where respect for traditional values, the ancestors and deities still hold sway. But the erstwhile sacred habitat now seems to have been desecrated by infidels since it assumed the status of a commercial nerve centre a few years ago under the Governor Lucky Igbinedion-led administration as it aimed to give Benin a face-lift.


National Daily Weekend intelligence revealed that the criminals, including sex hawkers sacked from their hide outs along Ikpokpan road, motel Benin Plaza road Ugbague and Airport Roads have found new abode in Oluku.

“As it were, Oluku centre community, en routes Benin-Lagos-Ibadan express way is ever busy and beehive of social activities especially at night,” a source told our correspondent.

“Less than four five kilometres away from the heart of the City, the community residents many of whom are idol worshipers with powerful deity” such as Igbea Olukun, Ayalala shrine, and Ashigidi. Though there are churches of different types, but Christianity is at low ebb.”
“Besides, there are allegations of juvenile delinquencies allegedly perpetuated by the youths who are often times caught in criminal activity,” the source said.

Criminal activities prohibited to the youths, unconfirmed sources said, range between truancy, running away from home, curfew violations and incorrigibility also known as status offences.

National Daily Weekend gathered that there are also petty stealing, but for fear of the unknown, many of the youths have been taken before the various shrines to take oaths not to steal or master-mind stealing.

Police spokesman in the state, Asp Peter Ogboi told our correspondent that many robbery suspects hitherto helping the police were said to have confessed too many sins carried out in the community.

“We have arrested several persons in the community who till now are helping us in further investigation to crimes committed; And I want to day that the community too has severally been combed by the law enforcement agents”.

In a bid to arrest social nuisance often passed by illegal structures and street trading, Governor Adams Oshiomole set a task force with the fury of a woman scorned. But like everything done in a rage, the intriguing cum callous activities of the task force committee on illegal structures and street trading led by colonel Felix Igiebor (Rtd),left a lot of holes in the discharge of its responsibility. The holes have “encouraged all sorts of malfeasance hidden agenda unevenness,” a source said.

Though the Comrade Governor had since relieved him of his job, Oluku where he allegedly committed the untold act hitherto gropes in “horrible activities” and lawless nature.

An elder statesman in the community Pa Beason Iginigie told our correspondent that Oluku was founded about 1775 AD endowed with rich cultural heritage until prostitutes invaded the place.

Indications are that Oluku now is comparable with places like Ikpodo, Ikeja Lagos, Umunede, Aba and lots where social vices booms to “high heavens.”

However, further investigation revealed that commercial sex activity has brought sorrows, human-immuno deficiency virus(HIV) and acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) pandemic and lawlessness to the community.

At night, the community is beehive of sex activity with lorry drivers including top politicians who satisfy their sexual orgy often times. These women of easy virtues, range between the ages of 45 and 52 clad in skimpy dresses that covert their nudity and hang around the express way where the luxurious bus and other long vehicles are packed to woo the unsuspecting sex hungry men into their rented dingy rooms for some rounds.


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