"We are not prostitutes,We only entertain our clients and customers"- Strip Dancer in Nigeria

Last week, men of the Lagos State Environmental and Special Offences Task Force raided strip/nude club in Lagos, arresting managers, patrons and the dancers. Encomium Weekly writer, Sunday Adebayo, tracked down one of the strippers and had an interview with her. An eye-opener. Read it below

What are the requirements for recruiting dancers?

Stripper "The major requirements are: you must be at least 18 years old. You must have a very good shape and have to be able to carry yourself well. Your breasts must be intact. They won't employ you when you have sagged breasts and you must be clean up to your private area. And you must be a good dancer."

Do they employ you full time or you do freelance?
"At Ocean Blue where I work, we are employed, but we are not on salaries. You have to be very good and have to canvass for people very well, so that you will get enough money for yourself."

How then do you girls get your money?
"Normally we do lap dance, and three tracks of music will make a session of a lap dance. It's N1, 000 per session. If you are very sexy and have men who like you, you may be very lucky to get up to 20 people to lap dance for in just one day. The lap dance in the VIP section is more expensive. You pay N3, 000. At timew when we want to do it, we still charge some people more, and some below the price."

What makes the VIP section different from the regular?
"In the VIP, it's a private closet where we can do anything. So once the customer has paid, you can do anything for him. You can help masturbate him or even insert his manhood into your mouth to make him happy. But you can't have sex in the club."

What if the customer wants sex and is willing to pay for it?

"We don't do it at the club. But if anyone among the girls likes the person or can do it, you may go with him to a hotel to do whatever he wants to do."

How much do you charge them for that?
"It depends. At times we charge up to N10, 000 for the fun, depending on how the person approaches us."

Then can we call this a more professional prostitution?
"We are not prostitutes. We only entertain our clients and customers"

Like how many people come into the club on a daily basis?
"Most times, the space doesn't even take people, especially at weekends. From Thursday night through Sunday night. But on average, not less than 200-250 people daily."

Is any of your family aware of the kind of business you do?

"They don't need to know, because I give them what they want at the right time. So, no problems."

Now that the State Govt has closed down the clubs, how do you girls hope to survive?
"Life goes on. We will get something doing. And besides they will soon re-open the clubs. This is not the first time they are closing us down. We shall wait for what happens next"