Gbenga Adeosun
Hookup culture is a term broadly used to describe the act of engaging in casual and temporary sexual encounters in exchange for money or other material gifts. These activities often lack emotional attachment or long-term commitment, and are a growing phenomenon in Nigeria, especially among the youth. It can also refer to a non-romantic sexual relationship or a range of sexual behaviors with little-known people or total strangers.
While this trend has existed since the 1920s, it has become more common and accepted in recent years. In Nigeria, the term “hookup culture” has been broadly used to describe the prevalence of vices among young people, especially the female folk, who are mostly exposed to the risks associated with these sexual adventures. This has become a continuous cause of concern for society at large, as it can have negative consequences for mental, physical, and psychological well-being.
While prostitution is as old as mankind, the rise in this societal ill of “hook-up” has been exponential over the past decade and is pervasive across all strata of social class in Nigeria including young students, serving corps members, employed adults, unemployed adults, and even some married individuals indulge in this activity.
The dominance of social media communication and the influx of many hookup apps have also contributed significantly to the spread of this phenomenon; as people who were previously either ashamed or embarrassed to visit traditional brothels to patronize prostitutes can now easily link up with other like-minds via social media or these hook-up apps regardless of their social status or cultural background.
While some men engage in this hook-up act for purely sexual gratification; there are many others with ulterior motives who use these activities as a trap to enchant and lure young females with very generous monetary offers. Most females who participate in these activities have attributed it to the challenging economic situation of the country or inability to secure well-paying jobs; they, therefore, take solace by engaging in hook-ups to make ends meet or earn a living; some justify it by using the phrase “using what you have to get what you want”
Despite Nigeria’s strong religious and cultural values that frown upon such activities, participants often overlook these norms in pursuit of fleeting pleasure or financial gain.
Apart from the severe health risks of sexually transmitted diseases that accompany these acts, many societal deviants have taken advantage of this hook-up culture to attract girls to their residences, guest houses, motels, lodges, or private hotel rooms not only for sexual pleasure but for other evil, morbid and fetish purposes. In recent times, it is not unusual to hear of missing females who were nowhere to be seen after visiting a hotel or guest house to meet a stranger they met on social media or via hookup apps; some other cases report girls who were murdered in cold blood in hotel rooms or uncompleted bodies and their mutilated lifeless bodies abandoned after linking up with these despicable evil-doers who usually flee the crime scenes after carrying out these heinous acts. Some others use this as a cover-up tactic to invite and kidnap young ladies and demand monetary ransom for their release. Some victims have been lucky to be rescued in the nick of time due to someone hearing their cry for help and intervening or just by a dose of good fortune; some were able to fight the assaulter and run for dear life; but a lot have seen their lives cut short suddenly via these meet-ups.
Usually, anytime these cases of young females missing or murdered due to hook-up activities get media attention; there are usually fleeting conversations about what the government can do to intervene to nip this societal malaise in the bud; some think that there is little the government can do regarding this matter because it is ultimately down to individual choices and freedom of association. Others claim the government should provide well-paying jobs and financial opportunities for the teeming youth before trying to condemn those who engage in these acts; some others counter this view by saying even in countries with high economic growth rates and job opportunities for young people, they still engage in these acts.
The Nigerian Police Force has linked many cases of missing young women to ritual practices, with a growing connection to the rising hookup culture in the country. The PRO of the Ogun State Command, Omolola Odutola, re-emphasized this when she was featured in a recent Television’s Morning Programme. During the discussion on “Hookup Culture: Impact on Youth Values and Relationships,” Odutola revealed that young women aged 20 to 32 are the most affected. She added that many young people, especially males, believe that ritual killings are a way to become wealthy.
According to her, “This particular menace is severe and I would like a lot of young people to understand the danger in hookup culture. Today, we have lots of reports of missing persons. By the time we start an investigation, not less than 10 young girls and ladies go missing daily. In-depth investigations also reveal that those cases are not caused by accidents. Most of them are connected to hookup channels and apps. They fall victim to strangers who casually invite them to unknown places, and eventually fall victim to being used for ritual purposes. Most cases of missing girls and ritual killings occurring in Ogun State recently, I would like to say that it is not new. But as much as possible, the Ogun State Commissioner of Police has been able to tame these ugly incidents.”
“That is why we are having advocacy and sensitization, to enlighten young persons to make them understand that engaging in ritual killings does not in any way make them rich,” She further stated that the police command is collaborating closely with the State Women Affairs Commission to tackle and curb the menace.
She stated, “The Ogun State government, particularly the Women Affairs Commission works in tandem with the police command by providing counselling sessions. Apart from that, whenever we have cases such as this if per adventure the girls escape the rituals, we also have a proper way of helping them go through the distress of mental health and anxiety they might have felt during the incident. The hookup culture is prevalent among young ladies and the reason they get involved in this menace is because they feel they don’t get enough from their parents, and then the get-rich syndrome.”
In another recent interview, popular Nollywood actress, Ayo Adesanya offered crucial advice to young girls navigating the allure of quick money, especially during the festive period. She emphasised the importance of caution, asserting that many parents have failed to guide their children properly, leading them astray. “Many of us who ought to be mentors for children have taught them terrible things. To the young girls, it is not everything that your parents will teach you but know that many of what you see online is fake.”
She further warned against the dangers of pursuing fast cash through risky avenues, saying, “Young girls need to know that there is no easy money out there. With the economic meltdown in the world, one can barely give you anything for free. To those engaging in hookups for fast cash, know that if he is not collecting your destiny, he is grooming you for something. One needs to tread with caution and be very prayerful,” she stated.
In this light, a more nuanced approach viz-a-viz appealing to the sensitivities of the young population and reawakening moral values is needed to effectively drive home this message. Religious and cultural organisations that are the custodians of our societal values, norms, and behavioural conduct are expected to be at the forefront of this nationwide campaign. Also of huge importance is the urgent need to rekindle the dying embers of sound family discipline and good oversight of growing adolescents and teenagers who are still relatively innocent and under the firm grip of family control. It is a known fact that when the parents fail to lead a child in the right way or rein him/her in with discipline when going astray, such a child is likely to be misled by societal vices especially with the unrestrained influence of social media on lifestyle patterns and its deleterious impact on young people when misused.
Through public events, programmes, campaigns, social media jingles, and official policies; the responsible government agencies including the National Orientation Agency, Ministry of Information, and Ministry of Women Affairs in conjunction with NGOs, civil rights societies, religious organisations, and educational institutions must continually sensitize the society on the potentially fatal effects of toeing this lane of hookup adventures.
