From Tony John, Port Harcourt
Rivers State University (RSU), Nkpolu-Oroworukwo, Port Harcourt, on October 19, announced ban on every form of indecent dressing for both male and female students in the campus. It was gathered that this decision was an outcome of a memo presented by the committee of provost and deans. It was considered at its 291st regular meeting held on September 29.
The announcement, which came from the office of the university’s registrar/secretary of senate, S.C. Enyindah, and to president of the Students Union Government (SUG) and all the students, was also copied to the vice chancellor, deputy vice chancellor (administration), deputy vice chancellor (academic) provost and deans/heads of department.
Daily Sun gathered from some students and non-academic staff, that the ban was the least order or directive they expected from the institution’s authority. The reason, according to them, was because they students were yet to overcome the ‘no school fees payment, no examination’ order recently made by the school.
On October 24, some students of RSU had threatened to commit suicide or harm themselves in various ways should the school authority fail to rescind its decision on ‘no school fees, no examination’ policy. Investigation revealed that the students of the institution, who were unable to pay the 2021/2022 school fees, were not allowed to write their ongoing examinations.
Mostly worried by the development were the final year students who lamented that their inability to write the exams would lead to extra year in the school and, of course, forcing out another tuition fees. The students, who were worried about the development, including some union leaders, staged a peaceful protest to Government House, Port Harcourt and the state House of Assembly. They urged the government to intervene by directing the school authority to rescind their decision on the matter.
However, while the students were battling with the ‘no school fees, no examination’ policy, the indecent dress prohibition came into force. The institution banned wearing of “spaghetti gown” and short skirt above the knees by female students. It banned colouring of hair by both male and female students; sagging of trousers by both male and female students; wearing of earrings by male students and nose rings by female students and wearing of tattoos by both male and female students.”
Others included wearing of ankle chain and long eyelashes by female students; wearing of gown/blouse that exposes the navel or breasts by female students; wearing of tattered jean trousers by both male and female students, as well as wearing of bathroom slippers or bum shorts to classroom.
Daily Sun visited the institution’s main campus, Nkpolu-Oroworukwo, Port Harcourt, to ascertain the level of compliance by students and enforcement by the relevant authority. Enforcement of the indecent dressing, according to an anonymous staff, will majorly be by school security and lecturers. The latter are to ensure that no student, no matter who he or she is, who is not decently dressed, enters lecture or examination hall.
A male lecturer told the reporter in confidence, that they (lecturers) had for years been battling with the indescribable dressing patterns by the female students, which are rampant among the undergraduate students.
He said that, while the university authority is trying to monitor the activities of male lecturers, especially the sex-for-grade syndrome, checks should also be put on the female students, some of who dress seductively.
He said: “I am telling you that we (school) are waking up very late. What we are seeing and experiencing from the female students, in particular, in the campus, are quite alarming and disgusting. Sometimes, you wonder if these girls came from homes.
“What I am saying is that, if the university authority did not come up with this prohibition of indecent dressing in the campus, very ugly amorous things might be happening in broad daylight.
“I would say, lecturers (male) are the major target of these dirty dressing patterns. Some of these students, especially those of them in the undergraduate level, are not in school for studies. The are in school for another purpose. These girls forget that the lecturers are human beings with blood and water flowing in their veins.
“So, without taking this drastic measures, some lecturers, who are not morally disciplined, may fall into the trap of these girls, who are agents of destruction. The unfortunate aspect, if it occurs, is that it is the lecturer that would suffer the shame and blame more. So, this ban will save men.
“Also, on the male students who sag and wear earrings, it had got of hand. In fact, colouring of hairs and wearing of bathroom slippers are common in them. Unfortunately, some of these students are the bad boys in the campus.
“The university environment should be a place for reading, not a place of crime and moral pollution. These excesses must stop.”
On enforcement, he said: “We, lecturers, have been mandated not to allow such students enter lecture and examination halls. Of course, there is a monitoring committee set up to ensure compliance and arrest of defaulters. They patrol the lecture halls.
“Whether it is during examination or lecture, any defaulter would be arrested. In fact, you can’t even go near the examination hall. So, if you, as a student, value your education, nobody should tell you how to dress.
“Defaulters would face disciplinary committee (senate) and if found culpable, would be expelled. So, no good student, who values his or her education, would like to risk it.”
A non-academic female staff of the university, Winnie, disclosed that they were quite happy with the female lecturer, who was the brain behind the ban. She said indecent dressing was becoming a uniform pattern of dress code in the campus.
She said: “In fact, one day, a post graduate lady came to my office to inquire about a particular information in her file. I told her to sort out her file. In fact, she couldn’t bend down because of the skirt and blouse she was wearing.
“When she managed to bend down, her boobs and pant were showing. Out of annoyance because I couldn’t control myself, I told her, ‘madam, do you know that I am seeing everything you are wearing’. And she said, ‘and then?
“Not only the students, even some male lecturers encourage indecent dressing on the students because of their amorous relationship.
“I have two scenarios I can’t forget: I went to a particular lecturer’s office in the department of political science to solve a student’s problem. When I got there, the lecturer told me to wait outside that he was with someone.
“I obeyed. He and the little girl were busy laughing and I, a staff, was waiting outside to solve a problem which had to do with his office. This incident happened twice. And I later confronted the lecturer and told him to desist from such life style.
“They are the type of lecturers encouraging indecent dressing by female students and they may frustrate full implementation of the punishment and enforcement of the ban.”
However, a great number of students (both male and female)expressed dissatisfaction with the ban. A 200-level mass communication student, who introduced herself as Maureen, criticized the university authority for being too hard on them.
Maureen said: “I don’t know why the school wants to make life miserable for us. Is it not the things you have that you will wear? Do they want us to steal? Students wear things they have and being hard on them cannot change the society because the society is already very very morally corrupt.”
When asked whether she likes dressing indecently, she replied: “Well, I don’t. But, that does not mean that I should condemn other students. One, whether male or female, should dress decently, especially in public. The school community is a public environment, and people should dress decently. But, the items banned are too many. Enforcement and sustainability is where the matter lies.”
Similarly, a post-graduate student in the faculty of management, Stella Georgewill, described the ban as draconic. She said: “I cannot fathom the reason the university management wants to treat us as if we are children. Yes, I like wearing leg-chains and nose rings. It’s nobody’s business. I am a full grown adult. I manage my home. This is a draconian law. It’s our privacy and you should not intrude into it.”
In his reaction, a 300-level engineering student, Kingsley (surname withheld), berated the university authority. He insisted that he would not steal because of the school.
He said: “I struggle to train myself. What I can afford is what I wear and I dress anyhow I feel comfortable in. So, nobody should distract me.
“I have not overcome the ‘no school fees, no examination’ wahala, and you are talking about dressing. Please, allow me to rest.”
Daily Sun discovered that security men (including police) at the back gate of the university were more strict on enforcing the ban than their counterparts at the main entrance.
Meanwhile, the national coordinator, Centre for Basic Rights Protection and Accountability Campaign, Prince Wiro, has commended the RSU management for placing ban on indecent dressing in the campus.
He said: “My take on the ban on indecent dressing by the management of Rivers State University is that the institution is a citadel of learning and students should be more concerned about the primary purpose of being there which is to acquire knowledge.
“Aside the aspect of learning, the institution also moulds the students. That is the reason certificate is issued on basis of character and learning.
“So, there is nothing wrong if the school decides to checkmate the excesses of students in areas of indecent dressing to restore sanity in the system.”
