The media is in love with titillating, salacious news stories which pander to the voyeurism of the masses. The latest of such is the alleged sexual misdemeanoor of three House of Representatives members during their recent International Visitor Leadership Programme trip to the United States. In the eye of the storm are Reps Mohammed Garba-Gololo (Bauchi State) , Terse Gbillah (Benue State) and Samuel Ikon (Cross River State) who were part of a 10-member team for the programme. American ambassador to Nigeria, James Entwistle, blew the whistle on the Reps in a letter to Speaker Yakubu Dogara which sought to intimate the Speaker about “troubling allegations” regarding the behaviour of the three lawmakers at a Cleveland, Ohio hotel where they stayed during the programme between April 7 and 13, 2016. According to media reports, in the ambassador’s letter, dated June 9, 2016, it was alleged that Garba grabbed a housekeeper in his hotel room and solicited her for sex while Gbillah and Ikon were said to have requested the assistance of hotel parking assistants to solicit prostitutes. The Nigerian media went to town, some in front page headline stories, to regale us with this entertaining libido story, without any significant value added in terms of critical in-depth reporting , except to trot out the usual public commentators, all of whom were virtually condemnatory of the legislators.
However, we need to interrogate the ambassador’s letter and situate its content within socio-cultural perspectives. First, given the communication efficiency of the American system, why did it take the American embassy in Nigeria a clear two months – June 9, 2016 – to bring the situation/episode to the Speaker’s attention and why “with regret”? There was no indication in the letter, as reported in the media, that the Nigerian embassy in Washington D.C was notified. There is supposed to be a leader of the 10-member delegation who should have been formally intimated of the incidents. Were these done and was it lack of expected action that left the Americans “with regret”? Were the Reps confronted with the allegations by their accusers and is there a record of their responses? The American embassy letter noted, with respect to sexual solicitation of the housekeeper, that “this incident could have involved local law enforcement and resulted in legal consequences for Representative Gololo”. The inference from this is that Gololo got a slap on the wrist by not being taken to the nearest police precinct in apparent deference to the diplomatic passport he must have had. One of those indicted, Gbillah, was reported to have written the US ambassador on June 16, 2016 and observed as follows : “Without conclusive evidence of any sort or contact with any of the accused individuals, the US State Department and the US Embassy in Nigeria have less than six days after your letter to the Speaker, gone ahead to revoke the US visas of the accused individuals based on hearsay from employees of the hotel in Cleveland”. I know Marriot Hotels. There is one on the ground floor of the National Press Building, where NAN had its office, on 14th and F Street in Downtown Washington D.C. and another more opulent one, The Grand Marriot, also in Downtown D.C. It is a global brand and one expects it to observe best practices in its relations with lodgers while protecting the integrity of its staff. Given its reputation, it will not be too much to expect Marriot’s Cleveland unit to provide a CCTV encounter between Rep. Gololo and the housekeeper, making it a conclusive evidence, rather than hearsay.
While not playing judge and jury, it is surprising that media commentators could insinuate guilt of the Representatives without full information and evidence on the incidents. Some were already calling for the suspension, resignation or recall of the three accused legislators. These are kneejerk commentaries. Media leaders need to exercise better discretion in their gate-keeping function with regard to people they give platform to express opinion on issues. Professional commentators who volunteer immediate opinions on issues, often based on sketchy information, cannot bring enlightenment to public discourse. Speaker Dogara was right in his measured response when he pointed out: “As we speak, no evidence has been put forward other than the letter sent to my office and copied to many others” insisting that “He who alleges must prove” .
Whatever the outcome of investigations, that the allegations were made in the first instance, highlights the need for briefing of government officials travelling abroad about the nuances of behaviour, spoken and physical, in their destinations. Ignorance of local sensitivities may not be a defence when you supposedly cross the line, even if innocently, and for conduct permissible in your country. But then, when people travel to new places, it is natural to play the tourist and want to explore. Perhaps, if the Reps had consulted Cleveland’s local Yellow Pages Directory, they would have seen some Nigerian names they could call up who would gladly show them the town, including local Nigerian restaurants. They would also get to know the dos and don’ts of the locality. I offered such services to visiting Nigerians when I was a Foreign Correspondent in Washington D.C.
There is, therefore, a socio-cultural dimension to this episode, highlighting the differences in perceptions in various cultural environments . Prostitution is a big industry, globally, and the US is no exception. There are red light districts in some American cities including around the Adams Morgan area in upper 16TH Street NW, Washington D.C. Prostitutes and police play cat and mouse, practically, in many countries. I have travelled some and aware that in many hotels around the world – in such places like Rome, Brussels, Bangkok, Belgrade, Nairobi, Abidjan, Cotonou, to mention a few, hotel staff and pimps solicit guests whether they need the services of flesh pots.
America can be a different scenario, particularly for naive visitors, many of who are ignorant of the nuances of conduct in Yankee land. First rule is that as a man, you don’t get too friendly-fresh- with a lady or engage in banter that can be construed as sexual. Some jokes can be very costly, like complimenting a lady for her beauty. If she alleges sexual harassment , you can be in deep trouble with the police and saying your words are meant as a compliment may not count for much as a defence. Again, that a lady visits you at home or in your hotel room is not a licence to “touch” or fondle. Even where a lady seemingly makes sexual overtures, you may be taking a big risk, if you take her up on it. She could turn round to allege sexual assault. A man can hardly win a charge of sexual harassment in the US. This is the reality.
This has led to wariness of many men in talking with ladies but which has created a boomerang of loneliness for the females making some of them, responsible ladies, to solicit men, especially in nightclubs. In the late 1980s, The Kilimanjaro Night Club in Washington, D.C., was one such places. Even then, it has to be on the soliciting lady’s own terms, if you are not to get into the warm embrace of the law. That is America, their America!
PUNCH
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