OPINION: Indecent Dressing and Look – The Misconceptions and the Need for Proper Education

By Peter Oyebanji


I have seen a lot of articles about indecent dressing and look, all being nice but with huge respect, they have also been myopic. There has hardly been a thought of digging deep into the issue of indecent dressing, even some educated youths have conformed to the stereotypes about indecent dressing and look.

I have always had the thought that the problem we have when it comes to branding a dressing or look indecent are the misconceptions about the word itself, it got confirmed this session after witnessing and being a victim of these misconceptions. Educated folks are hugely guilty of this, because there is a particular way in which they treat issues concerning indecent dressings like those stereotypes we have been fed with are facts. You’ll see lecturers sending students out of classes because of their own incomprehension, with the usual pride with which they put up. The thing about this is that it has gotten overly thanks to Armed forces, Lecturers, Parents, different sects.

Indecent means going against conventional moral values. Section 26 (1) of the violence against persons (PROHIBITION) act, 2015 says "a person who intentionally exposes his or her genital organs, or a substantial part thereof, with the intention of causing distress to the other party, or that another person seeing it may be tempted or induced to commit an offence under this Act, commits an offence termed indecent exposure."

The problem here is that most people can't get over the fact that something does not seem decent to you doesn't mean it's indecent. If I wear a crazy jean and you don't fancy a crazy jean or you see crazy jean as a malady, good for you. Everyone can't conform to your opinion and that's the reason for this article.

If a pepper seller in my area censores me for styling an "Afro Haircut," to some extent, that can be heard of but when lecturers start misusing their power all because of their misconceptions, then it calls for actions. A lecturer once called I and some guys out and questioned our haircut, he got to me and said the reason he called me out is because my hair is not properly combed. That is not even the issue, the issue is he then said, "even though I don't like haircuts like this, yours is still fair, the reason why i called you out is because your hair is not properly combed."


He ordered some that donned that same style with fuller hair to doff it, he couldn't differentiate between his preference and immorality or when did donning an haircut became immoral?

This issue happens in almost all sectors but I'm more focused on the education sector because that's where I have really studied, it's also more painful to see well-learned people being protagonists of this. I think it is not hard for educated people to know that your moral expectations is different from the conventional expectations, is it? Have you seen University of Ilorin dress code? Disgraceful is an understatement. If professors can't differentiate between fashion and indecency, then there is a big problem.

With this level of misconceptions, the need for proper education can't be over emphasized. I would have suggested that institutons' management arrange a proper education of academic and non-academic staffs but who made those rules in Unilorin? Shh.

As much as this is an opinion, you can't debate some facts that have been put down here and I'm using this opportunity to awake fellow Nigerian students as well as all concerned fellows to stop glorifying irrationallity. No one has the right to tell you the hairstyle to don, no one has the right to stop you from wearing a particular dress because they don't fancy it, as much as you conform to the moral convention which much of it has been stated in section 26 of the violence against persons (prohibition) act, 2015, you're good to go. Injustice against one is injustice against all, it's never a one man thing.

Since the Management of institutions have also failed us, perhaps, we can call on the govt to #EducateLecturersOnIndecentDressings. Selah.


Peter Oyebanji is a student Journalist and can be reached through.

Twitter: anderpeter2 Email: adewuyipeter50@gmail.com