Finally at Redlight District , Amsterdam
By Wale Ojo Lanre
Nigerian Tribune
Wednesday 9 October 2013
MY Geography teacher, in Ansar -ud -deen Grammar School, Ikare-Akoko Ondo State, in those days, Mr A Aboagye, A Ghanaian,
stimulated my interest in Amsterdam.” This is one of the most wonderful cities
in the world, it is a city planted below the sea level and has become a
cynosure of all eyes. It has a robust maritime trade, where car are sold like
sweets in the kiosks and a well patronized Red Light District.”
Inquisitively,
I raised up my hand and I asked with excited interest: “Sir, can you expatiate on what you
mean by Red light district?” Mr Aboagye offered a wiry smile. “A Red Light Zone or District can be likened
to a place, for instance, the Central Hotel, where there are commercial sex workers.
In Amsterdam though, it is better organized, The scarlet ladies dressed in
eye-popping and sexually arousing apparels for quickies offer themselves for
hire in the cubicle, “I was not so much interested in the geographical
configuration of Amsterdam as stated by Mr Aboagye , Rather , cars and Red
Light District endeared the place to me. I love cars like the Lincoln Continental used by the late Bobby Benson and I had seen some ladies
too displaying themselves at the Central Hotel, Ikare , whenever we were hanging out of school in those days.
.After that excitingly expository lesson and reference to
Amsterdam, I pray to God to provide the opportunity and capacity of visiting
Amsterdam of Red Light District one day.
And to God be the glory, as the Royal
Jordanian plane was descending smoothly from the air aiming to land at the Schipol
International Airport’s tarmac, I had a panoramic aerial view of Amsterdam and
my mind riveted to the words of our geography teacher in form three, 1979:”
Amsterdam is a wonderful city planted below the sea level. And it was so, I saw
a beautiful, well planned city and land sequestered for farm purposes, bordered
by water . At last, this is Amsterdam. The immigration officials were people
of few words. Your purpose here is Amsterdam, sir? I am one of the recipients of the Oodua Progressive Union Award here in Amsterdam I responded “Congratulations” The
official stamped our passports. Schiphol Airport is more beautiful and grand
masterpiece than Murtala Muhammed International Airport. It is bigger and
grander in traffic and configurations. The Arrival Hall is made more busy,
lively and entertaining with shops, restaurants, coffee kiosk and the network
providers offering you free SIM cards and all of that. At the Airport, English
seems to be major communication medium but that was where the beauty stopped.
In the city, only few Dutch engaged you in English, so we had so difficulty in
communicating in other nationals pending the arrival of the welcoming party of
the Oodua progressive union at the Airport. As the Oodua of Akogun Banji Ojo
and Otunba Larry Banbo alighted from their car to pick us, I made it clear to
them that I must visit the red light zone or district or whatever.As a planned
myself behind the driver’s seat, one member of the group noticed that I had not
used the car belt, which he promptly urged me to do. “My brother, kindly fasten
your belt at the back here, all of you must fasten the belt or else you will be
fined. Having fasted my belt, Akogun Banji Ojo responded that “Yes, you will
visit the district but Amsterdam is beyond the Red light district. “My brother,
Holland is a small country which has turned itself into an economic determinant
of Europe in maritime, agriculture and oil. “You will not believe that it is
not a crude oil producer, but strategically designed itself to control it
circulation of crude oil over the world. It produces Heineken Beer, Hollandia Milk,
medical, boat, Phillips, it own shell, AB Ambo and several others. You will be
surprise at the kind of political system in operation here. Instead of the
winner takes all which we operate in Nigeria here. It is an all-inclusive
formation where no winner of any election can be sworn in without a tact
agreement with his opponent on what program to be implemented” Akogun Ojo
continued. At this, I chuckled: “what, are you kidding me? I Asked explained.
The winner and loser must agree on project
to be implemented, and unless the loser append his signature in agreement, no
dice for the winner, Akogun pointed out . No wonder, Holland enjoys a blissful
political climate which paves the way for all round development of the country,
mutual understanding civility in governance, all which cultivate respect and
regard to it at the comity of nations “I responded, “you have not seen or heard
nothing yet’ Akogun informed. “You know
too that this city is built on reclaimed land as everywhere is sand-filled to
pave way for all you are seeing now, yet there has not been any history of
erosion or sea surge, “Akogun continued, as we passed beside a big mosque at
the kranenest Area, while heading for Tulip Inn, Riverside South East. He
explained further: “Holland has a liberal approach to religion. That mosque was
built by government for the Muslims, while churches are donated to those desire
congregation and the Surinamese practice their traditional belief. Can you see
that statue planted at the back of that building? That is the shrine of Yemoja
here. Everyone to his belief.
Adding to my excitement about Amsterdam was the
fact that some of the cars running on the roads are powered by electrical
means! I was intrigued seeing several people taking turn at a particular point
in krannest to plug a cable to their cars every day, when that particular spot is
not a filling station. “That is charging point for of cars,” Otunba Bambo
revealed. “Is it the new way of charging car batteries?
I inquired “No, those brands of car are powered by electric", he informed. My
lips dropped, "powered by electric? “I asked again; My brother, that is the in –
thing here. I then moved closer and took two shot photographs of the cars on the
queue at the charging point. But this is a signal to those countries who rely solely
on crude oil as revenue earner that the market for their product is shrinking slowly.
Amsterdam is a weird, highly cosmopolitan city thronged by tourists, mariners,
businessmen, investors, researchers and particularly a rendezvous for men of
the stick who take delight in smoking marijuana and frolicking with ladies of
the Red Light District, as the country has legalised, regulated and promoted
prostitution, as well as declaring Holland as marijuana –compliant
country.Hence, the tourism and hospitality industry is elegantly robust, fully
developed, highly patronised and expensive. Hotel reservation has to be made
days ahead as the demands for bed spaces exceed supply. Touring Amsterdam was
an exciting and an evergreen experience as the city has much to offer in terms
of historical edifice, culinary centres, museums and monuments, transportation
relics, sex shops, gay bars, pewee shops, malls, plaza and smoking cafe. It is a
city which wakes up but never sleeps, and the Red Light District offers a
delightful sight and experience of a nation making the best out of a somewhat
filthy and dirty social menace.With Otunba Bambo, we crossed the Dam Square at
the centre of Amsterdam to The Wallen, also known as the Rosse burst to
Amsterdammers and the Red Light District . At The Wallen, the first
thing I noticed was the way the iron bars, which was used to demarcate the
place from the canal, were fixed. The bars were penis-shaped, painted in red,
just to tell whoever is observant that “here there is sexual business and
nothing more”. And indeed it was. The government of Holland understands that
two things are very essential to its citizens after the basic amenities and
facilities which are in place: smoke and sex. And it aligns with the wishes of
the people by legalizing smoking and weeds or marijuana or Indian hemp and
making sex business very alluring and attractive. At the Red Light District,
there was no hiding behind the veil, which vividly showcased that sex business
was a serious business there. The ladies there were half- naked and inside a
glass cubicle, waiting for you to come in and do the business of the flesh,
with a price tag of 50 Euros, which, to a few of us, outrageous. Lovely
beauties with good skin, shapes and curves. All of them were very tempting,
seductive, delectable and alluring, making the son of man to drool endlessly.
An attempt to have
a dialogue with one of the ladies, a Dutch, behind the Bulldog cafe, was
rebuffed strongly.According to Otunba Bambo, “some of these ladies detest
having Nigerians and Ghanaians as patrons because they claimed that our people
are always under the influence of local gins before coming here and they cannot
withstand their sex agility. Hence, her stiff hostility,” Moving further down
the corner, we saw some pleasant ones gazing at us seductively and a dialogue
ensued between one of the ladies.
“Babe, what is the fare”
“Just 50 Euros,”
That’s on the high side. Can’t
pay 50, I give 40?
“Right, I love your physique.
“Got only 30 euro babe”
“Phew, ok, come in it is just a
shot of a round.”
“But, can you bear 15 euro?”
“Bull shit, go home and f**k your mama.”
She slammed the door in my face.
I paced to the
place where Otunba Bambo had taken a refuge to watch my adventure. ‘It was no
deal.” I told him. He shrugged his shoulders and said; “At last, you have seen
it all. You have fulfilled your dream. This is the place called Amsterdam. This
is the Red Light District which many dreamt of and scrambled to get to either
to fulfil their curiosity or satisfy their passion.” And for me, I satisfied
my curiosity, fulfilled my dream but couldn't oil my passion. As we boarded the
Metro en route my hotel, I cast a look back at the Red Light District,
Amsterdam, Holland, and I promised to certainly come back again.
