Are African women changing for the worse?

Back in history, African women were known to protect their dignity and moral values as these were very important to them, and so guarded them jealously.
But the dignity and moral values of such virtuous African women seem to have taken the back stage in our society today as both young ladies and women engage in activities that insult the conducts and attitude of the people of the past.
Frankly speaking, illicit sexual relationship between a man and a woman before marriage was an abomination which attracted severe punishment.
The stern Nigerian culture and value practically deterred young persons from engaging in any sexual relationship outside marriage, and this was applicable in most cultures, religions and practices.
These days, however prostitution is a common trend among students of higher institutions across the country. These students have chosen prostitution as a means of making money to survive during their stay in school.
Nowadays, too, many orphans engage in prostitution because they lack parental care. They sleep with different men and women and use lack of or absence of parental control and guidance as an excuse. Some of them usually claim that if they did not engage in prostitution they would not have food to eat, a place to lay their heads or clothes to wear.
Furthermore, laziness has made most young Nigerians engage in this dangerous act. They usually adorn fanciful, expensive wears and worldly materials and sell their bodies. Strip clubs, hotels, beer parlours are their offices where they meet their clients or customers.
The influx of western cultures has influenced most women to abuse their bodies, by negatively copying the cultures of foreigners that preach so-called freedom to life.
But women and young girls must learn to embrace the act of hard work.  The end, they say, justifies the means. But ignorantly imitating Westerners’ way of  life will continue to lead African women astray; but African women were seen as salient parameters that uphold the moral aspects of the society.
Francis Esther is of the Dept of Mass Comm, Bida Poly