By Abubakar, Aliyu Aliyu.
U14MM2013
Universities and other tertiary institutions like Colleges of Education and Polytechnics are considered as places where different people come to acquire not only knowledge and skills, but also morality, norms and values. Likewise, it is in these influential institutions future leaders and of course professionals of all kinds are produced. This makes all these institutions to providing high quality and moral graduates as their primary objective. This can no doubt make the graduates produced by such institutions to be their ambassadors.
Meanwhile, such students irrespective of their gender, religion or culture are taught the same motivated to be socially responsible to the society within which they live. Unfortunately enough, such students who are regarded as ethical and moral are now becoming hooligans in the society, simply by adopting the renowned syndrome of indecent dressing especially on campus. This indecent dressing or "dress to kill" refers to deliberate exposure of one's body to the glare of public.
Despite the fact that such dressing does not conform with our norms and values particularly in the African societies like those in Nigeria, the practice is so common and even becoming competitive and rampant in public places like schools, government and private offices and more offensive worshiping areas like Mosques and Churches. Doubtless, indecent dressing is nowadays becoming fashion among the students especially females living on campus. So, wearing skimpy clothes also known as "fitted ", short blouses, sagging of trousers or "ass down" by boys; and sleeveless shirts or off shoulders, 'show me your chest', 'show me your back', and the newly introduced 'shoki' by girls are typical challenges associated with decency in dressing.
This maybe because of so many factors and some interests or inclinations they have which may not exceed the following
Most of the female students practice this indecent dressing because they want to be looking sexy, sensuous, tantalizing and of course stimulating with the aim of attracting and convincing their male counterparts to the sensitive parts of their body. This is indeed considered a major factor that makes female students to adopt such a practice.
Also, factor triggering students to this indecent dressing can indeed be attributed to parental neglect. This is because, some parents or elders today are seen to be encouraging such practice particularly to their children by buying them these kinds of clothes and even recommending them to attend public sessions and events with them.
The influence of peers is also seen to be a contributing factor that immensely contributes to indecency in dressing among youths within and outside our campuses. This can be by copying other students' mode of dressing which may not necessarily be recognized culturally or religiously.
As far as the causes of indecent dressing are concerned, the role of mass media particularly television and internet cannot be overlooked. This is because, most, if not all of these indecent dressings we practice are directly or indirectly copied from western mode of dressing being showcased by such media which majority of such dressings are contrary to our standards. Hence, wrong use of internet and social media can enormously contribute to such indecency in dressing.
Astonishingly enough, most of the students practicing such dressing don't even know the effects it may have on them.
Therefore, to mention but few some of the effects indecent dressing may result in high level of adultery, fornication, raping etc which may in turn result in high rate of Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs) in the society. Moreover, it is indeed the major cause of assault and sexual harassment recorded in the society overtime. So also, in the name of fashion, most of our ladies dress the way they do just to drive pleasure by wearing them.
Lastly,it can really drag them into social ridicule and subsequently be shunned by the right thinking individuals of the society.
To tackle and prevent such practice, I strongly call on all the tertiary institutions management to put more emphasis on dress code and also look for other policy programs that could reduce or even eliminate such practices. Students' associations are also stakeholders in tackling and preventing such practices. So also, parents should decently dress and act as role models to their children. Religious institutions and scholars should be encouraged by government in promoting the culture of decent dressing in not only schools and colleges but also in our individual societies. Finally, mass media are also critical stakeholders in tackling this issue through their various program contents. If implemented properly, these will certainly reduce the menace of indecency in dress pattern in our campuses.
Abubakar, you have touched an important topic. I still ask however, who is to blame? My thoughts concerning the blame game is: many entities have their share in the cake of blame and in varying degrees; the family unit, the individual him/herself, media, etc. But the family unit carries the bulk of my disappointment. If the foundation of the upright is destroyed, what can he/she do?
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