The Garrison Bill Board Pornography in Port Harcourt has brought to the fore, the level of depravity among Nigerians. Did we expect it to happen? Why not?
Pornography and other obscene habits have permeated the professional arena, throwing ethics to the wind. There are regulations and terms of engagements of every profession but many organisations have begun to flout them with impurity, following the crowd. What society used to hold with a high level of sanctity has become a toy in the hands of morally depraved persons. Sex and private parts of humans are no longer private.
Pornography would have remained a private obsession among those who enjoy the orgy. Sadly, in recent times, every piece of audio visual clip is littered with pornographic expositions, in the public domain. You see people who are either fully nude or half nude, flaunting themselves where they ought not to be.
It has become more rampant among entertainment artistes who brand themselves celebrities. It is an irony that persons who ought to be celebrated for the joy, knowledge and entertainment which they provide to society do things that activate negative impressions and abuse the sensibilities of the society. A psycho analysis of some of these artistes and note-able persons reveal their mentality, that negative publicity brings popularity. They forget the impact of such dispositions to society.
A celebrity worth the tag is expected to be a role model, because whatever he does affects the morals of their mentees. Those who litter the public space, flaunting their private sexual behaviour go beyond hurting their reputations, if they have any. They endanger the moral fabric of the society. Their licentious behaviour is detrimental to a decent social life style. It does not matter if it’s a Tiwa Savage, a Cross or any blackmailing slay queen.
It is surprising that people associate this indecent behaviour with branding. A negative brand identity is bound to affect the behaviour of many unsuspecting impressionable young minds.
A behavioural pattern that has built up overtime is responsible for that show of shame at the Bill Board in Garrison axis of Port Harcourt.
Advertising media such as outdoor advert facilities are expected to follow all the regulations, ethical codes and terms of engagements stipulated by the Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria (APCON). Unfortunately, on the 5th day of October 2021, the LED Bill Board located at the Garrison axis close to Rebisi Fly-over in Port Harcourt was streaming pornographic images, raw sexual acts to the public, road users and those doing road side business around there. Road users who couldn’t stand the sight of the orgy reported the matter to the police who immediately arrested two men linked to the breach.
Why middle age men would be streaming pornographic images in a public bill board calls for serious concern, regarding the level of degenerating social behaviour among young people.
Outdoor advertising is designed to create public awareness on goods and services. It is a commercial enterprise aimed at compelling those who need such services to patronise the providers or purchase goods being projected. That bill board show of shame speaks volume about the flagrant disrespect for law and order in our society, especially among the youths. That incident also points to the way society has begun to see sexual behaviour in animalistic perspective. Open sexual behaviour is an animal thing; it is counter to all sense of decency. So, that public show runs counter to our civilisation and so must be checked before we destroy the future of this country.
Young people are already becoming numb on issues of violence. The sound of gun shots no longer frightens them. Blood looks like ordinary water in the eyes of younger people.
Today, violence has assumed a dangerous dimension.
Therefore, if sexual behaviour is allowed to become object of public display, then obscenity would have been glorified to a licentious level of shame and debauchery.
It is important to query the factors that are responsible for these acts of depravity.
Drug addiction has been fingered as a major factor. Young people do things under influence. Substance abuse propels and instigates bad social behaviour and violence. Bad role models have also contributed to these animalistic tendencies, these men and women who ought to be role models have carried the bad behaviour in their closet to the public domain and because of who they are, impressionable minds are copying. Some grownups who enjoy them celebrate them. The rising profile of pornographic film industry in Nigeria should be checked by the films Censors Boards.
All forms of leakages outside the rated platforms should attract severe punishments or outright ban.
What happened at the Garrison Billboard has never been reported in Nigeria. It follows therefore that if these culprits are not penalised in line with the laws of this country, more ugly scenes will surface. APCON therefore, as a regulatory board of all advertising platforms in Nigeria must brace up to their responsibility.
LED Billboards are now live advertising outdoor platforms, there must be close monitoring of the contents that are streamed with closer scrutiny.
The public must lookout for possible breaches and report culprits to the authorities. It is expected that APCON will withdraw the licence of erring advertising agencies and bring down their billboards permanently. Future public show of shame must be nipped in the bud.
No compromises should be allowed. Public Bill Boards must be driver friendly, for road safety reasons and public friendly for moral sanity.

By: Bon Woke