New rave called shortlets

God is wonderful and He is always giving mankind wisdom to find solutions to problems, whether they are small or big. That is why several innovations and innovative steps are the result of inspired thought.

The smartphone I am using to write this piece while lying on my bed is many light years away from the clunky IBM electronic typewriters of the past century, which once proudly sat on the tables of secretaries in corporate offices, and gave such secretaries solid relevance.

Innovative thinking created AirBnB just as similar inspiration has carved out a new niche in real estate and property management called shortlet.

The shortlet came because people wanted to feel the beauty, quality facilities and ambience of the clean, well-furnished suite in a high-class hotel without the huge cost involved but the added convenience of cooking their own meals in a quiet and safe environment. They wanted basic security. They wanted to stay in a good place without a signboard outside the property announcing what the place is about, and avoiding the kind of human traffic you would find in typical hotel settings.

Then voila! Shortlets became the solution.You can find them in Ikoyi, Ikeja and other respectable parts of Lagos metropolis. Let me share the experience of my close friend and her family.

My childhood friend, Augusta, said she had become sick and tired of lodging in a hotel whenever the family was in the country for vacation. This year, as usual, Augusta came into the country quietly with her family. She sent a message that said: “Hey, I am in town with my family. See me at 1:00pm on Sunday.” She shared her location. With the aid of Google Maps, I was able to locate the place. There was no signboard on the building. I was impressed when I stepped into the place, a very posh abode – nice and cozy. Talking about the place her husband said: “This is just excellent for us as a family, especially with our children. We have our privacy. We see who we want and be sure of our safety. I chose not to stay with relatives or in hotels for personal reasons. But here, we are at liberty to prepare our choice meals.”

He went on to reel out other advantages of the shortlet. “The place has a chauffeur-driven car to take us round if need be. We are quite happy and comfortable. It is a complete home away from home.”

In the same vein, some people might travel for various reasons and hide at such places and be safe. There have been recorded accounts of people being trailed to their hotel rooms and  killed. A story was told of a university professor who happened to be the presiding officer during a re-run election in one of the Southwest states. The different political parties insisted on accommodating him in different hotels in the state. He accepted and promised both parties to make a reservation. He never showed up at both hotels because he was not sure of his safety. He rather moved into one of the unidentified private shortlets with good security. None of the party officials knew his whereabouts until much later in the day, when he was quietly driven to the collation centre. After the announcement of the result, in that wild jubilation, the professor carefully sneaked away to his hideout, from where he travelled back to his state, peacefully and safely.

Mature students move into such places to prepare for ICAN and MBA exams. A calm and serene place that aids reading.

Now, while trying to unravel the mystery behind the non-identification of private apartments, I also understand that most of them have heavy online presence; otherwise, how would people know and patronize them?

On the other hand, some people have abused the reason for cozy shortlet private apartments. Some see it as a place for both men and women to meet and cheat. Most of the workers keep their own clientele of people who come for a short time. It is so bad the original purpose of these worthy investments is being abused and bastardised. And because shortlets are not widely advertised through the regular or mainstream media platforms, one might easily know that crimes are committed in such places. One can easily recall the case of the well known chief executive of a television company, a married man, who died in the shortlet he lodged in with his young, female university undergraduate lover. The circumstances surrounding his death are yet to be unravelled. The beautiful young lady at twhe centre of the illicit affair is now languishing in jail, her life turned upside down

This instance and countless others confirm  that illicit activities also take place at such hidden places. It might be difficult for law enforcement agencies to break in and raid them except on a tip off. There will never be a time when events shrouded in secrecy would thrive.

Unfortunately, these hideouts have really encouraged all manner of illicit affairs between same-sex and opposite sex affairs, including teenagers who love to play immoral hide-and-seek games. Such thrives because it will be a bit difficult to suspect such buildings.

These unidentified hotels and brothels are aiding sexual infidelity. Some encourage drug use and cybercrimes. Even robbers gather at such places to plan and execute robberies. It is no longer hearsay that while men commit their adulterous extra-marital affairs, women are on the same radar with them in unfaithfulness, waywardness, spousal cheating and insincerity. All these thrive because there is a hideout. In the same reckless undertaking, some teenagers have started patronizing shortlets and private apartments.

Men lie to their wives about fake business trips and simply disappear into a shortlet with their side-chick. I recall the case of a certain man (names withheld) who told the normal white lies of a business trip with his foreign partners and painted a very colourful picture of an advantageous commercial expedition which looked so real through his conversations and documentations. His wife of 24 years also believed him totally and was happy with her progressive husband. Oga slid into the next building with his side chick, but kept in touch with his family. One evening, Oga and his babe sat at the top roof to enjoy the cool breezy weather with choice foods and drinks. From where he sat as a careful wise man, he could watch other people coming into the facility. From where he was, he saw his wife walk in with a much younger boy. While still holding hands, they walked to a table and sat down. That sight destabilized him totally and he lost full concentration. But he was not bold enough to tell his side-chick what was amiss. Several thoughts ran riot in his mind; angry and bitter, he returned to his room. One can only imagine his countenance seeing his slender wife also catching cruise and steeze at the same time.

As the battle raged in his mind, he chose to spend more days to cool off. While taking a walk within the premises, two young ones fled immediately on noticing him. One of them was his daughter and her school boyfriend. They had also come to an isolated area where dad and mum would not see them. What is amiss? One bug has bitten the whole family, yet, all wear straight faces as if there is nothing amiss. Father, mother and daughter running into each other at the same hideout to hobnob privately? These atrocities were committed because a faceless hideout encouraged it. Most men and women who boldly walk into a hotel do so for genuine reasons, especially for conferences, though not void of immoral acts as well.

When some of these issues come up who would applaud a family that stinks of recklessness and stupidity. Now which immediate family, especially brothers, would be proud to applaud a sister who is also a wife in another family as a known mini-prostitute? How many husbands and communities would throw a party to welcome such men and women and crown their effort with success?

One then wonders why most of the nameless commercial centres do not display their signboards, rather pose as residential places while taking up full commercial operational responsibilities?

Surely, I understand that some of these private centres turned into commercial facilities might be running away from the sledgehammer of various state agencies, and to avoid heavy taxes, rates and fees demanded by government. That should not be an excuse to eat from two ends. Once an operational business activity is established, the necessary taxes and rates should be paid and the place free to boldly display the nature of the business done there, rather than concealing their identity. All such hidden places that encourage promiscuity should be identified, exposed and properly prosecuted for evading tax.

Dear Nigerians, let us salvage our country by helping to identify lawbreakers and getting them prosecuted accordingly. When such places are exposed, the government should clampdown on them. To the owners of faceless hideouts, make it a safe place for the occupants and put measures in place to prevent homosexuality and crimes being in those facilities.