Not anymore will anyone think the advent of telecommunication and internets have brought less than endurable impact on our relationship globally. For as the world turns a global village by these powerful "impostors", so we have an increase in the patterns of relationship ranging from individuals, organisations to nations, many of which have their existence in the concomitant exposures.
And there is no disputing the fact that (as OAU Philosophy lecturers would say) "man is a social animal". This is because we find ourselves coming across hundreds of people through diverse means daily. But in actual fact, recent research shows that our present day relationships have incurred much adulteration leaving the bond at a fragile state compared to any period in the past. We conform this by the prediction of the Holy Bible which says: "because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold". Little wonder the mass media, including the internet convey daily information have at least 85 percent of their news on broken homes, broken hearts, shattered trusts, mind blowing scary occurrences ranging from families to religion and politics.
The reason behind all these relationship hazards are not farfetched, most outrageous incidences have their genesis in small communities like campuses where some students’ mindsets are aimed at exploiting others in order to achieve their ends regardless of the means.
One of such means is called "Dating contract" (contract here may not necessarily require any financial implication whatsoever). I was at my school’s main library. Before sitting down to engage in some study in preparation for an examination, a captivating handwritten invitation note from a God-knows-who caught my attention. I will try to put the sentence in its own words: ‘Hi, I’m a 5.9 feet tall, dark complexioned, handsome looking guy in need of a sex partner. I possess… (Romantic expressions withheld). A trial will convince you. Interested? Then call 080… no flashing please". I had thought this to be a joke until recently.
Notwithstanding the fact that there have been enormous aftermaths of this same kind of phone-negotiated deal where people go into unwholesome partnership on campus, many still fall into these pools of errors. One of such was the shame of acclaimed sexual relationship when a guy set up a camera in the room to track the details of his sexcapades with a lady. This mobile phone became an application for many students to view, hence, a business make up!
It should be noteworthy at this junction that such dating contracts are in no way synonymous to marriage contract. Marriage contract is a situation when two people (usually male and female) agree to be legally married for as long as they live with or without the aim of child bearing. Dating contract on the other hand is an immoral act in which the parties involved (maybe more than two) are only sexually attached to each other. In addition, the deal is being carried out through the use of mobile phones and internet so that the perpetrators identity may be difficult to know.
At the University of Ibadan (UI), students are said to perpetuate this act through self prepared music rehearsed in a particular class at the late hours. They would start with singing and playing with different kinds of musical instrument till the middle of the night then all will gradually change to soft blues or R&B music, each person holding on to his/her partner till dawn. Such engagements are also endemic in several other campuses across the country.
It has been said that "you can no more blame your character on your circumstances than you can blame the mirror for your looks" and "if you are disciplined now, you probably will be in later years. And the reverse is just as true". The effects and future danger involved in this disguised prostitution can never be over-emphasized. So check out yourself on balance because a loss of integrity today might cost you a lot tomorrow.
In a nation where moral values are daily eroded, people always think they can get away with whatever mess they make on themselves. I must warn perpetrators of this act to know that those they think are their partners today are the same people who will come against them tomorrow to ensure that they are brought down from whatever high position they have attained then. So you need to have a rethink on how much this act can cost you.
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