EKSU Management To Enforce New Dress Codes On Campus
The management of Ekiti State University, Ado-Ekiti, has reiterated its stance on stopping indecent dressing on campus.
This was contained in a circular made available to campus journalists on the 5th of January, 2022 and signed by the Dean of Students Affairs, Prof Ademilua O. L.
The circular read: “The mode of dressings on campus by some of our students stand decency on the head. It has become embarrassing to the university community as well as the eyesores that need to be addressed once and for all…”
The announcement strengthened that the university Vice-chancellor, Prof. Edward O. Olanipekun, has approved the new directives on dressing on campus.
According to the statement, “In furtherance of these, the Vice-chancellor has approved that the dressing modes/postures as shown in the graphics accompanying this circular have been forbidden in the university campus with effect from Monday, 10th January, 2022.”
However, it was highlighted that the security department has been empowered to arrest and arraign any students found dressing offensively on campus, before the Students Disciplinary Committee.
Speaking to the university Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Development, Prof. Wale Olajide, he encouraged students to enjoy themselves and their freedom but live responsibly.
“There is nothing wrong in wearing anything you like because by the time you get to Mojere Market you will see worse than that. So, anybody is free to wear anything they like but not in the university community. There must be decorum, there must be decency. Otherwise, we will not be different from fashion houses or club houses or hotels. This is not a hotel,” he said.
In an interview with a final year student of Geography and Planning Science who is also a current member of the 6th assembly of the students council, Josh Matiluko, said that the idea of bringing a new mode of dressing by the university management could be referred to as sustainable development.
According to him, “The idea of bringing a new mode of students’ dressing is not wrong especially for a state institution like Ekiti State University that desires to have an international face and be upheld at a certain standard.”
However, he said: “Even though the university could bring in certain regulations to curb excesses in students’ dressing, they should also be more considerate about how much they would affect students’ personal life. I [say] this because I understand we have different kinds of students [who] come into the school system. Some students, aside [from] their course of study, they are very creative photographers, musicians and thespians.”
“And if you work as a creative individual, you will realise that somehow you would want to dress like the way you are. Because as a creative individual, there’s [a] certain thing that comes to your mind. There’s a way you reason.”
Tiamiyu Peter, the Faculty of Law President, said: “I believe some of the rules should be enforced while some should be discarded as it is not necessary in this universal environment.”
“However, we all have four/five years to be in the school system. So, whichever rule the university implements, I advise we abide by it. You will realise that in some departments, there’s a mode of dressing assigned. The students there can not complain because it is what they signed up for. It is subject to either they terminate the admission or accept it and remain abide by all the rules and regulations.”
“Since you accepted it, whatever rule the school is given out you have to abide by it. Some of the rules I’m seeing here like ankle chains and jump tops are things generally shouldn’t be acceptable in the school environment. For example: As a law student, when I’m going to court, I can’t dress anyhow because it is not allowed. I signed for it. I wasn’t forced in.”
Furthermore, Dr. Lawrence Oluwasanmi popularly known as “Millo”, a lecturer in the department of sociology, narrated that the present situation in the society calls for the new order by the university authorities.
In his statement, “If you go by the way some students dress, it has turned to another thing; some of the students have turned themselves to emergency or artificial rastafarians.”
“Today, it is a shame when you see university students dress shabbily like gangsters and hooligans. In class, you would see the boxers and pants of some students outside their trousers in the name of fashion. Which fashion?”
“If at all you want to turn yourself into a mini mad person, you can do that in the presence of your parents, not in the university environment.”
He added: “Ekiti State University will not accommodate hooligans as students.”
According to the university management, it has now become necessary to effectively checkmate indecent dressing which is anti-ethical to the ethics and code of conduct of the university students at undergraduate or postgraduate level. (NGNEWS247.COM)