- Lejja park is one of the most popular brothel in Nsukka area
- There is no more motor park at the place, yet the name sticks
- The name has given the area a bad name, a trader explains
In the heart of Nsukka metropolis, Nsukka local government area of Enugu state, there exists a brothel called Lejja park.
Located directly opposite old park and inside the city center of Nsukka, the University town, Lejja park is known for its notoriety as far as prostitution is concerned.
Origin of the name Lejja park
Lejja park, Nsukka, which now has become a synonym for notorious brothel, harbours over a sixty call girls, prostitutes in Nsukka metropolis.
According to WITHIN NIGERIA findings, in the early 70s before urbanization crept into the town, there was actually existence of a motor park called Lejja motor park where commuters going to Aku, Ohodo and Ozalla en route Lejja community could board a vehicle.
It was gathered that with the advent of urbanization, which led to the construction of Opi/Nsukka road, the park became more and more less used by the motorists.
Many motorists then found a better and easier way of going to Ohodo, Aku, Lejja and Ozalla through other new routes.
However, it was also discovered that when the motor park was at its full swing, some passengers who couldn’t get vehicle to their destination before 7pm usually passed a night at some makeshift houses in the park.
However, some people saw this need as an opportunity to build some brothel around the motor park. With the building of brothel around the park, it also attracted the presence and services of some call girls and prostitutes.
In any case, when the park became less used by Lejja, Ohodo, Ozalla, Aku and other commuters, the brothel became haven for other prostitutes from neighbouring states who then took over the entire brothel.
At the moment, there is hardly any portion of land allotted for motor park at Lejja park, yet the name stuck, making strangers to the metropolis think that the place is literally a motor park.
Our reporter visits Lejja park
Recently, this reporter paid a visit to the notorious brothel. At the southern part of the park, some craftsmen like vulcanizers, motorcycle mechanics, computer operators, handset repairers and others were seen busy, attending to their customers. Also in the west, the place is bustling with commercial activities like Point of Sales, POS, restaurant and patent medicine sales. But inside those brothel, a lot of illicit and unholy activities take place.
However, at 8pm when this reporter visited, hardly did he notice that any commercial sex worker was in Lejja park. Few minutes later, it started drizzling.
Some commercial sex workers were seen wearing bum shorts, dancing to pop music from a restaurant inside the brothel.
Our reporter, though a teetotaler, entered inside the restaurant with a satchel of De Rok quality cafe liquor, pretending to be sipping the hot drink.
There were about five sex workers inside the restaurant, within the age bracket of 27, each of whom smoking and drinking bottles of beer with a prospective customer. Seeing that he is odd man out, this reporter left the restaurant and went to the Western part of the brothel.
He was about to reach Globis motor park, just few metres away from the restaurant when one of the sex workers called him, customer, where are you going again? I am going to buy cigarettes, our reporter lied to her. Come let’s go there, pointing at the restaurant where the reporter just left. They sell cigar there. She came closer, holding this reporter with her left hand and robbing the back of his hand with her right hand.
She looked at our reporter’s face and discovered that probably it was a mistaken identity.
Are you new in this town, this brothel? My name is Vivian and nobody here doesn’t know me, the fair complexioned tall girl told our reporter. No I am not new, our reporter lied again. But, I have not seen your face here before. I am not new here. I come mostly in the afternoon, not in the night like this, our reporter lied again.
When our reporter went back to the restaurant with the sex worker, only two sex workers with their customers were remaining inside. What do you take? I am in a hurry because I want to go back to Enugu this night, our reporter told the call girl.
I take Hero lager. Three bottles. How is your fee like?,our reporter enquired. I charge N2000 for a quickie and N8,000 for a night. If you need home service, it is N10,000 cash, she replied.
Vivy, is N2000 not too much?, our reporter asked. Can I give you N1500? Are you using protection or not? I don’t like protection. I have been married three times and each of them has left me because I couldn’t give them a child. I want to prove to them that I am not infertile. I have my two siblings to take care of but my priority now is to get pregnant and bear a child. I will take the child to one of my siblings and come back to my work here.
Our reporter told her he wouldn’t mind going unprotected. This reporter paid for two bottles of Hero beer, pretended to be picking a call in a noisy environment and left the restaurant.
It was already 9:15pm. Enugu Electricity Distribution Company EEDC just seized light in the area. At the southern part of the brothels, our reporter entered another beer parlour. This time, about two sex workers with their customers were there, drinking beer and smoking cigarettes.
When this reporter entered, one of them asked him, I thought I have seen you some minutes ago around here. Are you looking for somebody? The reporter denied coming around the place that day.
The two men were discussing heartily with the sex workers. One of them whom they called Ite ego (pot of money) was heard blaming his wife for his trouble.
I am a bus driver, he told our reporter whom he assumed was new in the area. Paulo, he called the second man, let us welcome our new man, referring to our reporter. Give him one bottle of beer which this reporter, preferring to coke instead as he lied to them that he was on drugs.
Like I was telling you, I am a bus driver. I ply from Enugu to Nsukka and vice versa. I load my bus from Enugu around 7pm. I usually get to Nsukka by 9pm. I come here every night whenever I come back from Enugu to have fun and forget my worries. I am married with five children.
I have separated with my wife since six years ago when she found out that I had a side chic. Why would she leave me because I have girl friends? Am I failing in my responsibilities as a man? Am I not paying my children’s school fees? Am I starving them? Any way, sorry for bothering you with my family problems.
Ite ego, Ite ego! The other people hailed him.
Amara, give us more bottles, the other man shouted to the bar attendant.
My own is a different thing altogether. I married since fifteen years now. My three children are with my in-laws after the death of my wife. I have wanted to remarry but my in-laws refused, telling me that they don’t want anybody to bring separation and maltreatment to their cousins and nephews. I have two boys and one girl. What else do I want in marriage and life? I enjoy my life here with this my sweet girl, he said touching his companion’s buttocks.
Another sex worker came in, looked around and romantically caressed our reporter on the waist. Buy me some drinks. I want to have some drinks, which our reporter bought one bottle of hero. She also requested for two sticks of cigarette which our reporter also obliged.
How much is your charge, our reporter asked her. Is it home service?, she asked consulting her handset to know the time. It is already 10:12pm. Be fast. Is it here? My own is 7k for all night. 10k for home service. It is already late. I need quick service. Just quick service. Quick service is 2k. It is okay, our reporter replied.
She told our reporter to follow her to undisclosed place, having finished her drinks.
Our reporter followed her down to what looked like a locked shop. She forced the door opened and two of them entered.
I thought you will collect N1500 as I have already spent N500 on your drink and cigarette.
Look I don’t like this kind of thing. Can’t you ordinarily buy me drink? Why didn’t you tell me this before now?
Don’t be offended, I just saw that I don’t have up to 2k again. Then you would have waited till October 1. Why October 1? Our reporter asked. That’s when we give bonus. It is a kind of our little way of attracting more customers. We don’t collect much money on public holidays to celebrate our customers on their public holidays.
The room was completely empty, save for plastic table, where she kept her little make up kits. There was also what looked like an overused and flat foam.
You are new here. I have not seen you for once. Anyway, that one no concern me, she said in pidgin English.
After all I am not even an Igbo. I am from Kogi state. I have been here for over four years. My entire family rejected me because I married a criminal, though I didn’t know he was one. He has been killed since four years ago. I have no option than to engage in this trade. I am Emelda in case you come another day. Just ask of Emelda in that joint where we met. They have my phone number.
Like a lady in a hurry not to miss a free ride for N5000 transport fare, she pulled down her bum shorts and about to pull down her pants when this reporter asked her if she picked his handset on the table where they met. She answered in the negative and this reporter searched his pocket, pretending to be looking for the handset, feigned panic, rushed to the door, unbolted it and rushed away.
When our reporter came out, it was already late. There was no other commercial sex worker outside the brothel.
As he headed to his house, our reporter was preoccupied with the thought of beautiful young ladies who literally damage their future in the name of commercial sex work.
However, after the night visit, one of the women who have a shop around the park told WITHIN NIGERIA that the name has actually given the area a bad name.
According to the trader who gave her name as Josephine Idu ” I have been around this area for close to twenty years now. The activities of these commercial sex workers have given the area a very bad name. Again, their activities have also taken over what the park used to be known for before.”
Explaining further, Mrs. Idu stressed that “if you tell anybody here in Nsukka or Enugu metropolis that you have a shop at Lejja park, Nsukka, he/she will be looking at you as if you are a commercial sex worker.”
Asked how she has been managing with the stereotype, Mrs Idu told WITHIN NIGERIA that ” I don’t feel anything. I am married with four kids. My husband knows what I can do and what I cannot do. I came here to do business not for any other thing.”