By Romanus Okoye
On hourly basis, the pornography industry in Nigeria grows, with its adult films becoming very popular around the world. This is largely due to the growing consciousness about the use of the internet, which has reduced the world to a global village. While some attribute the industry’s astronomical growth to an invasion by morally depraved western cultures and values, others blame hunger and unemployment as major causes.
Despite the divergent views, the practitioners, professionally known as porn stars, claim they make between $3,000 (about N1.5m) and $10,000 (about N4.9m) a month, depending on the role. However, some of them alleged being exploited as they receive peanuts while the producers smile to the bank with a larger chunk. Collectively, they strongly oppose being labelled prostitutes, insisting that they are actors and actresses, just like other professionals in the movie industry.
Becoming bolder, owning up
As the practitioners are becoming bolder, owning up to the trade, the names on the list are beginning to increase. The most popular ones among them include: Edet Mareme whose stage name is Uglygalz; Elizabeth Ajibola alias Maami Igbagbo; Chyzum Hills whose real name is Chisom Ugwu; Lady Gold, Annie Blonde and Savage TrapQueen. A prominent male practitioner and a pioneer in the growing industry is Tobiloba Isaac Jolaoso, popularly known as Kingtblakhoc.
Photos in which they display their seemingly acquired fame and wealth, looking happy are quite enticing. But they contradict their stories of circumstances that forced them into the trade. Surprisingly, comments that usually follow them where people sometimes drop phone contacts; asking how they could join, give the impression that many are not opposed to the profession.
Mareme in an interview said people misunderstand them and that is why they are tagged prostitutes. “I am a porn actress. I do adult entertainment movies or what is called porn films,” she said. “I have been called a sex-worker several times. People mistake me for those who offer sex for money. First and foremost, I am an actress and I get paid for my work, aside enjoying what I do.”
Unlike prostitutes, Mareme, who is an adult entertainer, producer, brand influencer, model and chief executive officer of Uglygalz Worldwide Production, said: “Again, I have an opinion about whom I choose to act with. There are protocols and several people are on the set. But many people don’t see it this way; they still feel it is money-for-sex. Often, I get calls from unknown men demanding sex from me. I once got a call from a man, who said he got my number from my website and wanted to have sex with me for two rounds. I got so irritated and just ended the call and blocked the number.”
She said she had slept with over 100 men and confirmed as one of the verified porn actresses and producers on a popular x-rated content website. “As at 2014, I have had sex with over 100 men,” she said. “Please, let’s not talk about it (laughs) but it’s not up to 1000, even though it is close to that. I remember when I was 17, I used to have this book, where I wrote down the names of people I have had sex with and the situation that led to the sex and my sister’s husband saw the book and flogged me mercilessly.”
She further noted: “I enjoy teasing and making guys have a hard on. I almost got expelled from school for having sex with my principal. I was the one who actually lured him into it and later, people got to find out and I was almost expelled. But, in my university days, I willingly traded sex for grades especially for courses I found hard to pass.”
She said her thoughts on porn movies are quite different from many Nigerians’. “Funny enough, my dad isn’t really a Nigerian,” Her mum is a Ghanaian and her dad is a Scottish. “So I think we don’t really think like Nigerians. They respected my decisions and understand that I am not killing or harming anyone.
“They actually found out through a relative who challenged me when he found out about my site. So, I was trying to defend myself but he said he was going to tell my parents and finally, he told my brother-in-law, who later told my sisters and then told my mum and later my dad found out. They have been supportive because they know it’s my decision.” The actress said the adult movie industry is quite lucrative and profitable. In her words, “adult movie business is profitable and actors or actresses can earn between $3,000 and $10,000 for a five-minute-long video.”
Story and views of Nigeria’s highest-paid porn star
On her part, Ajibola also known as Maami Igbagbo is taunted as the highest-paid blue film actress in Nigeria. Her story of how she became a porn star is quite unique. She didn’t grow up with that mindset, but circumstances, according to her, forced her into what she never wanted to do. Born on April 9, 1995, as the first of five children, the porn star is from Surulere, Lagos, but was born in Ipoti, in Ekiti State. It was gathered that she joined the adult movie industry when her mother died and she had to cater for herself and her siblings.
She later parted ways with Kingtblakhoc, who taught her all she needed to know about the business and went solo. She accused him of bringing in girls that were infected with sexually transmitted infections (STIs). She described Kingtblakhoc as a good person who is misconstrued by everyone. Their squabble began when she started getting offers that ran into millions from different people after featuring in his porn movies. Maami said her ex-boyfriend got quite emotional and sceptical about her sticking with him as most girls that featured in his porn movies in the past left after some offers started rolling in. She said Kingtblakhoc lost focus after that and began to invite girls, ignoring her warning. Now, on her own, she said she earns so much that her family no longer suffers. She offers her videos for premium download. She recently disclosed in an interview that her customers included top Nigerian actors, musicians and politicians. She, however, didn’t reveal their names.
Chyzum Hills, the lady with heavy boobs
Like Igbagbo, Chisom Ugwu known as Chyzum Hills features prominently in KingTBlakhoc’s pornographic movies. The lady with heavy boobs, called on all Nigerians judging her and others, to please stop, as she had decided to make a name for herself by doing pornographic videos. According to a report, Chyzum receives N80, 000 on a weekly basis. All she does is to appear stark naked in KingTBlakhoc’s Premium Snapchat, shoot x-rated movies with him, and do all the stuffs to entertain their thousands of viewers.
Her Facebook profile said she is from Awka, the Anambra State capital, but other sources said she is from Ngwo in Enugu State. She is a school certificate holder and her role model is Roman Goddess. She recently disclosed that the kind of life she lives “is her bloody business” and needs no critics whatsoever in her life. She wrote: “The type of lifestyle I live is my business. So, whenever you hear that I am this and that, just like me.”
Payment rates
Sometime ago, Kingtblakhoc dropped his payment pattern. According to him, it includes, “Nice meal and daddy’ treats. Maybe, I bought you pants, stuff, and helped you send money home and cards. If you like to stay 20 minutes or 20 years, same price; though I usually request for two to three days. N30, 000 if your period came and I did not f..k you. You won’t go empty handed. N40, 000: If I didn’t f..,k you, pocket money. N50, 000 I didn’t f..k you but took pictures without your face. N80, 000: I f..ked you, took pictures or video without your face. N150, 000: You didn’t care about showing your face. N200, 000: You show your face and N300, 000: You show face, we f..ked and you are good.” He concluded that “If you have a nice arse, good workshop and naturally good” there could be extra money.
Joining the porn business
Annie Blonde while narrating her reasons for joining the porn business said she was raped when she was sent out in the night by her aunt because she forgot some meat worth N1000. “I am not writing this to get pity or love from anyone. I grew up with my uncle and aunty. I went to primary, secondary schools and up to the university. I left university when I was in 200 levels going to 300. I really never wanted to leave but I had to leave when I was raped. I went home for holidays like any normal child would go home. I was raped because my aunt sent me out in the middle of the night for forgetting N1000 meat.
“The day I was raped, I never told anyone at home because even if I did, everyone will think I was a liar. I will never forget the spot I was raped. I was in the hospital for a week, cried for pain and needed help. I left home and left school behind. I looked for a job everywhere. No one was ready to help until I got laid. I really needed the money to go to school since my admission had not expired yet. I didn’t have anywhere to go because I left home. I was called a bastard many times. My uncle always said I should go and die like my mother did. To be sincere, I have never seen my father or mother before. I don’t know who my sisters and brothers are. Even if I see them, I will never know they are the ones. The rest part is for another day. Never judge anyone. Don’t be too quick to condemn because no one knows where we will all end up on the last day.”
Former porn star, Savage TrapQueen said she never planned to do adult film but was lured into it when she was invited to an audition she had thought was a reality show by a friend. But, when she saw some girls wearing G-string panties at the venue of the supposed audition, she realised it was a different thing. Worse still, she wasn’t paid after sex during the audition. According to her, the actors and actresses were usually paid N80, 000 for featuring in porn movies with mask and N100, 000, without mask. She said that there is a real porn industry in Nigeria. “But it’s still underground because people still feel shy admitting it.”
In her case, an exclusive interview with BBC Pidgin that went global exposed her. “Due to this, I got more recognition from all over the world while I was into porn,” she said. She debunked the erroneous assumption that every porn star is a super stud and can last hours in action. “There are several cuts which are all merged before adult movies are released regarding the impression that male colleagues last as much as they are presumed to.”
Aligning with many practitioners, she said there is a huge difference between a porn star and a prostitute. “A prostitute is just a call away after accepting a specific amount for her/his service and could be picked up from anywhere and won’t even have a general check-up before providing a service,” she said. “Also a prostitute is not recorded while having sex and the videos sold unlike a porn star that is scouted for, and goes for a general check up to know the state of health. A porn star has to be able to convince the viewers that whatever emotions running are real. Porn stars tend to retake a particular scene till the angles are perfectly gotten to project that this particular act is real. So, porn stars could also be referred to as adult actors/actresses, because it is just another expression of art. So, there is a huge difference between being a porn star and a prostitute. Porn stars are recorded for sales unlike prostitutes whose acts could be a one-off thing.”
According to her, she quit because her family didn’t consent to it. “The society, rivalry from my former colleagues, the pay was little and I was a victim of assault. So, all these factors discouraged me from continuing in the profession.” She explained how she ventured into the industry. “Well, my family was never aware I was into porn. They knew I had passion for modelling, being a video vixen and being an actress, so they had no clue I was into porn. They only knew after my BBC interview. So, it came as a shocker to them and I knew due to my family values they were never going to consent to it. I actually felt I could become famous and also be financially independent by getting into porn business but I was wrong.”
Other reasons included: “Producers could make like $10,000 if sold off to a foreign company but give the actors and actresses as low as N50, 000 to N80, 000. So, the producers actually live off the actors and actresses.” She however noted that Nollywood pays the same in some cases. She said: “The difference is that the actors/actresses have their dignity intact unlike porn that one could easily be passed off as a prostitute.
Looking back now she said: “Actually in an African society like ours, neither prostitution nor acting adult film is good but to the western world, being a porn star is better off than being a prostitute, considering the risks involved in being a prostitute. I feel being a porn star is better off, though I’m in no way supporting such trade now. I was once there and I don’t advise anyone to venture into any of these professions despite knowing the challenges we go through especially as a female child.”
She said her initial motivation was fame and financial independence. “I’ve always wanted fame so I felt going into it will bring me just that and I will be able to go into Nollywood. I felt it would also pave the way for me to model for lingerie and all that. But I was wrong. I have started a YouTube channel, soliciting for a chance into Nollywood.”
Between actors and porn stars
Reacting to whether porn stars are prostitutes and considered part of the Nigeria movie industry, the President, Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN), Emeka Rollas, said: “No member of our Guild has come out to say he or she is a porn star. But, if tomorrow anyone says so, we will categorize them. It is not everyone that engages in what may be called acting that is our member. However, the truth is that a lot goes into acting or film making. Somebody can be depicted to have died in a film but next time, you still see the person in another movie. There are film tricks and the same may apply to porn movies. What you see may not really be what it is.”
