When Atinuke Olugbenro received a phone call from her nanny that her 11-year-old son was caught watching a pornographic movie, she nearly went insane.
“I don’t know if it was shock, or disbelief, or something else, all I know is that I just walked out of the office without speaking to anyone and rushed back home,” said the middle aged banker and single mother of one.
Her fears were confirmed when it turned out that her son had indeed bought a DVD x-rated film, and had been secretly watching it for over a month.
While complaining about it to a friend, she told me that the worst is that her neighbour’s six-year-old daughter was caught watching a pornographic film. What kind of devil incarnate will sell such a movie to children?
Despite an existing ban on the sale of pornographic material, peddlers have continued to display their wares in selected spots of the metropolis.
‘Karate’ films on sale
In an undercover survey conducted by NEXT, some of the street traders hide the x-rated films and only produce them upon inquiry while most of them brazenly displayed theirs. It was also discovered that the traders are bolder at night, and even go as far as soliciting customers. However, all of the peddlers that spoke to NEXT denied selling to minors.
Governor Babatunde Fashola had, on May 29, 2009, issued an executive order which empowers the State Task Force on Environmental and Special Offences to “enter any known place of distribution of pornographic material and seize such offending materials.”
The task force was also empowered to arrest, and hand over to the police, persons connected to the sale or display of these materials.
“It has become necessary to act decisively in view of the observed flagrant display, broadcasting and sale of pornographic materials on the streets of Lagos and the grave danger it portends to the social health of the people, particularly young children who are likely to read, see or hear the matters contained or embodied in such obscene materials,” said Mr. Fashola.
Subsequently, the task force had embarked on a number of sweeping raids on traders at Alaba International Market, and other prominent areas where such materials were found. However, barely four months after, pornographic materials are slowly reappearing on the streets of Lagos.
“I dey call am karate film,” said a DVD seller who gave his name as Aloy, and who displays his wares from 7pm along Yaba Road, near Tejusoho Market. “I get better ones, no be those ones wey dem dub for Alaba (International Market). People patronise it (them) well well, and I no dey sell to children.”
At the bustling Ikotun bus stop on a Sunday afternoon, a group of teenagers usually display DVDs on large nylon bags spread on the ground near the gutters of Ikotun Road. One of them, who gave his name as Kunle, said he only produces x-rated films on demand.
“Since the ban, I have been hiding my own even though some people here laugh at me for being too afraid,” he said. “I only come out here on Sunday, and only sell to people who are mature enough.”
Experts’ advice
Josephine Effah-Chukwuma, the Executive Director of Project Alert, advises parents to be more attentive to materials that their children are exposed to; and also called on the federal government to complement the efforts of the Lagos government at eradicating children’s exposure to porn materials.
“I think a lot needs to be done, not only by the state government, but also by the federal government,” she said. “All these things affect the minds of young people and damage their psyche. And it is not only DVDs, but the print media also contribute. Some of the papers and magazines on the stand carry images that are not appropriate for children.”
“The Internet is also another place that parents should work harder to censor what their kids are using it for. I think there should be a concerted effort by parents, organisations, companies, and the government to protect children from exposure to pornography,” she added.
Mrs. Olugbenro is certainly doubling her efforts, as she has adopted stricter measures at censoring her son’s usage of the screens.
“Now, I have begun periodic raids on his room to make sure that nothing like that exists again,” she said.
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