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The adult industry in America generates billions of dollars each year. It is so lucrative that many mainstream American companies are invested in the industry.

When Africans come to the United States, the goal is to make money, to get a piece of that proverbial pie. So it should not surprise us that many Africans are involved in the adult industry despite their upbringing.

In February 2001, Arianna Uzo Egwu was arrested for promoting prostitution and money laundering. She admitted that her escort service called Glamour roses was actually a prostitution business but only pled guilty to laundering money. She was said to have had grossed about 2 million dollars a year and accepted a deal that sentenced her to five months and forfeiture of over 500,000 dollars in cash and assets, including a Cadillac limo with the license plates Decadent. On her website, she shows pictures of a mansion she was building in her hometown. One can only wonder if the residents of that village who no doubt must have hailed her success, knew or cared where the money was coming from.

Uzo Egwu is not the only African who has dabbled in the sex trade to make money. We are all familiar with the case of Nigerian women going to Italy and other parts of Europe to work as prostitutes. Easy money, fast cash! It is said that in Benin, if you pass by a fancy house, they will tell you, so so and so lives there and their daughter is “studying" in Europe. Studying being code for prostitution. C'est la vie. Such is life. Not every successful African in America is a lawyer, doctor or investment banker. A growing number make their living under the radar.

Take for example, a Nigerian man in California who wishes to be called butt-head, is the owner of a number of porn sites including www.buttluver.com. Butthead lost his job during the 9/11 fallout and while looking at a dismal job market decided to try his hand at something he enjoyed as a hobby. Porn. BBW Porn to be precise. He was attracted to adult websites because of the low capital and low maintenance nature of the business.

“I can put up a site in 24hrs,” he says. His business expenses are so low because he pays his models only about $100 per session and for that he gets about 1000 photos which he can use for the next 3– 4 months. Does he think he's exploiting them? His answer is no, because his websites are not designed to be degrading, but rather to “appreciate and celebrate the big beautiful woman”. He claims that many of these women leave his sessions feeling sexier and more confident; add to that his assertion that he is providing a service for many men who may be attracted to big women but due to social pressure feel the need to hide their desires and you can understand his declaration “ I feel good, everyone leaves with a smile”. For instance he has models that are considered SSBBW's Super size BBW, weighing in at 350lbs and above, “There are people who pay good money to see that", he says. Each website brings in a profit of around $1000 a month, and this is with only one year or so in the business. Compare that to most start ups which if successful don't expect to see profits for about 3 yrs or so. Things that make you go hmm!

Tony, is an older Nigerian who has been in the US for over twenty years. Many of those years where spent driving taxi cabs. Then the entrepreneurial bug bit him. He initially started with a beauty supply shop, however another Nigerian who owned several clubs quickly introduced him to the life of strip clubs. Eventually his friend, the owner asked him to help run one of his clubs in Norfolk, VA. He agreed but after seeing the possibilities asked his friend to help him acquire one of his own. Today Tony is the owner of two strip clubs in VA. Platinum one gentleman's club and Paradise gentleman's club . He has been in this business for about 4 1/2 yrs. He pays himself a salary of about $1000 a wk. He also insists that he is not exploiting anyone, saying “I did not create this business, The dancers will dance whether I make money off it or not” In fact he professes concern for the girls and states that he holds monthly meetings for his girls to encourage them to make their money and invest it. He says the girls that dance for him are not the stereotypical girls that have limited options, many of them are educated; “ I have a Naval officer and even one who is an RN”, they dance because they make a lot of money" even more than he, the proprietor of the club, so he says.

There is money in the adult industry, but there are cons too. When asked about the negative parts of the industry, butt-head said, “You are looked at as a sleazebag”. Butthead also noted that being around nudity all the time can sometimes kill the spark in a normal relationship. He admits that it can put a strain on personal relationships; although he maintains a girlfriend, (A white American, whom he is happy with, although he notes “a Nigerian woman couldn't handle what I do”). Tony is also hooked up, married with 4 kids. Both men state that the success of their relationships is directly proportional to their discipline. “I don't dip my hands in my supply” says butthead. “That's the fastest way to get into trouble” states Tony, whose wife, a Nigerian actually helps him manage his clubs. (She balked initially but soon came around).

Though they both profess not having any moral problems with what they do, they have to hide this part of their lives from various people. Butthead who is in his late 20's to early 30's, cannot admit to his parents what he does and Tony who is a self professed Christian, who attends church regularly and even corporate prayer sessions, says his pastor doesn't know what he does, he thinks he just has a nightclub. When asked about the seeming conflict with his Christian values, Tony replied saying “I don't see it as sin, sin is not what you see, it is your intention”.

Irrespective of their personal convictions, they would not want their children to follow in their footsteps. When asked why, Tony could not say, but kept saying, “It's not for my daughter”. Double standard maybe, it could be a paradox that arises as one goes against their upbringing, against their preconditioned ideas of morality.

Sex sells

The adult industry in America generates billions of dollars each year. It is so lucrative that many mainstream American companies are invested in the industry.