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Causes, disadvantages and solutions to indecent dressing in Nigeria

Causes, disadvantages and solutions to indecent dressing in Nigeria

They say you’re addressed the way you’re dressed. Indecent dressing obviously gives a negative impression about a person. The practice is what most would describe as unacceptable to the norms and values of society. But tell that to the youths, mostly university, polytechnic, and college of education, students who are most guilty of indecent dressing.

Many would also say indecent dressing is un-African. However, if we look back to the days before Western civilisation and colonialism, Africans weren’t really big on covering themselves from head to toe. For instance, Igbos of the pre-colonial era were barely dressed. Young maidens were known to cover their nether regions with jigida or tiny pieces of clothes while leaving their chests bare until they were married. Young men wore ogodo, a piece of cloth tied around their waists like huge panties. Today, such dressing would be described as indecent.

What is indecent dressing?

Indecent dressing can be defined as a deliberate act of exposing some sensitive parts of one’s body. Indecent dressing is mostly common among the youths, particularly the student population. It includes exposing one’s buttocks, breasts, and genitals in the name of camel toes, for the females, and clothes outlining the penis for the males.

Indecent dressing in Nigeria

Indecent dressing has become an acceptable trend for many students on campuses of higher learning institutions in Nigeria. Ladies wear clothes that expose half of their breasts and some provocative parts of their bodies. Men must be subjected to dealing with constant arousals that come with being around indecently dressed ladies all the time. On the other hand, men are guilty as well.

They now move around in different styles like sagging, hot bosom, low waist, and outlined genitals to show how “endowed” they are down there. Scroll through Instagram and Snapchat, and you will see different crazy dressing by Nigerian youths. Anywhere you go, at parties, offices, events, etc., you will see all manner of indecent dressing that will make you want to scream.

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Indecent dressing has even entered places of worship in Nigeria. Some pastors are to blame as they preach that salvation is from the heart, not the body. We live in a time of grace when God will forgive sinners if they ask for forgiveness. Some churches look the other way from indecent dressing to win more followers.

Gone are the days when Sister Esther was sent to the back pew because she forgot to wear a head tie before entering the church or Brother Jude was stopped from entering because he didn’t shave his beard. Now, the church is woke and everyone is welcome, including half-naked youths. Are you still wondering why there are many cases of pastors impregnating their female church members?

Causes of indecent dressing

Below are the top five causes of indecent dressing:

Peer Pressure

Peer Pressure

Youths, especially teenagers, are usually subjected to peer pressure. Peer pressure is doing something because you want to feel accepted and valued by your friends. You’re not considered a “happening babe” if you’re not dressed like other “happening babes.” You’ll be called a “jew man” because you’re not dressed like the other “hot” guys around. Teenagers are of the age where they’re trying to figure out themselves. Thus they’re vulnerable to peer pressure. They want to belong and be accepted and so do what others are doing, ergo, dress indecently.

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Poor parenting

Poor parenting

The Bible says teach a child the way he should go, and when he is old, he shall not depart from it (Proverbs 22:6). Children watch their parents and emulate them as they grow. Some parents are advocates of indecent dressing and are not even ashamed of introducing their children to it.

Other parents may not dress indecently, but they’re not involved in their children’s lives enough to stop any hint of indecency. Some parents are so overinvolved and strict that their children tend to misbehave outside but maintain good behaviour at home to avoid suspicion. All these contribute to indecent dressing in our society today.

Foreign influence

Foreign influence

Some Nigerian girls want to be like oyinbo. They wear bum shorts and strapless tops to the mall during harmattan, forgetting that their Western counterparts only wear these things in summer when the weather is hot. Western style of dressing is now the trend; most times, Nigerian youths overdo it by dressing indecently.

Internet/social media influence

Internet/social media influence

The internet, particularly social media, is now a hub of indecent dressing. Influencers have now made exposing sensitive parts of the body seem normal. Most youths have access to the internet and can be easily influenced by the so-called trends. So, they emulate the models they see on social media by dressing indecently wherever they go.

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Influence by entertainment and media

Influence by entertainment and media

Every female youth now wants to be as sexy as Kim Kardashian. The guys want the gbola that Nick Cannon flaunted on his show. Yet, they forget that these entertainers are just chasing clout to remain relevant in their business. It will shock these followers to know that some of these celebrities don’t actually dress indecently outside their shows. It’s all for entertainment, but many youths don’t understand that.

Disadvantages of indecent dressing

  • An indecently dressed person loses value in the eyes of the rest of society. Such a person will not be respected in many relevant circles. For instance, an indecently dressed youth can be disgraced from an institution that doesn’t condone it.
  • Many have lost job opportunities due to their dressing.
  • Indecently dressed people often become victims of sexual abuse like assault and even rape.
  • Indecent dressing often leads to other societal ills, such as robbery and prostitution. For instance, an indecent guy may turn to yahoo yahoo to keep up with his lifestyle. For the ladies, they become runs girls so they can afford to enjoy luxurious lifestyles.
  • Poor performances in school for students. When you’re busy trying to look cool, you tend to forget you’re in school to study.
  • Indecent dressing can cause more skin to be exposed to environmental hazards such as sunburn and frostbite.

How to minimize indecent dressing

  • The family is the basic unit of society. Parents have to inculcate the values of decent values by serving as role models to their children.
  • Schools and departments should introduce dress codes for students.
  • Religious institutions should not just preach against indecent dressing but enforce rules against it.
  • The media should censor what they show to the masses to reduce its influence on the youths.

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Nonye is a Thespian, screenwriter, creative writer and an unapologetic lover of books, great movies and sports. She has over 10 years experience in content writing on entertainment, movies, sports and lifestyle. Nonye is currently a content writer at Blackdot Media and founder of litafrik.com
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