Piety and reverence is typically synonymous with modesty. But
today, caution seems to have been thrown to the wind as
indecent dressing, even in places of worship, has become a
trend.
Clergies are beginning to express fears over the spate of
indecent dressing in churches, especially by ladies. This
phenomenon, that was once alien to Africa, is gradually
becoming a norm and is contributing to the increase in the rate
of immorality and other ills plaguing the society.
The ugly act has taken a dangerous dimension in the society
with young ladies often found in attires that reveal their body
anatomy inside out. To many, the dressing pattern is suggestive
of something. More embarrassing is the fact those dresses are
largely transparent.
Because of this, in 2008, the then chairman, Senate Committee
on Women and Youth, Senator Eme Ufot Ekaete, presented a
bill on indecent dressing on the floor of the senate titled, “An
Act to Prohibit and Punish Public Nudity, Sexual Intimidation,
and Related Offences”. The bill proposed a jail term of six
months for offenders. But humanitarian organisations
condemned the bill.
Reacting to the said bill, Anita Kyaagba, an undergraduate
stated: “We are living in a free world and so, we are free to wear
anything we want. Besides, since you don’t buy the clothes for
me, who are you to tell me what to wear? I wear what makes
me comfortable. As a young girl, I follow fashion trend, I wear
the best in vogue and if it accentuate some parts of my body,
and my boyfriend likes it, I don’t see anything wrong in it”.
Adefunke Olutoye, another student who spoke to LEADERSHIP
stated that she had to stop attending a church in which she
grew up because the ushers stopped her from entering inside
one Sunday because of what she was wearing. According to her,
“I wore a mini gown which highlighted my hips and boobs and
the ‘old-fashioned’ usher refused to allow me enter the church.
Since then I decided to join another church that won’t judge
me based on my dressing, but my heart. Besides, the Lord sees
the heart, not the body, so, why should anybody judge me”?
On her part, a retired school principal and mother of five, Mrs
Hilda Kumbin stated that:
“It is unfortunate that standard has fallen in the society and
parents are not helping because they don’t have time for their
children. There are many reasons why young girls come out in
indecent dresses but the most important I think has to do with
self-esteem. When a young girl feels inadequate, lacking in self-
confidence, she will do anything to draw attention to herself
and wearing indecent clothes could be her way of doing that.
They forget that for every action, there is a reaction and that is
why we have series of cases like rape.
“Most young women have fallen victims to rape because of the
provocative dresses they put on. I believe that, indecent
dressing debases womanhood because it tends to expose parts
of the woman’s body that forms her treasure. Our pride as
women lies in hidden and protected treasure; but when a girl
exposes it to the public, it reduces her worth in the sight of
everyone in society and it makes the man to lose respect in her,
there won’t be anything left for the man to explore. Any man
that will come after her will only be doing so out of lust, and
just to devour what she has displaced for him. Even if you are
decent but decide to wear indecent clothes, people will insult
you”, she said.
Continuing further, she said, “A girl’s behaviour is often
influenced by the type of training and grooming she gets. It has
become necessary to establish guidelines for parents and
students on acceptable mode of dressing. The National
Assembly must enact a law that will regulate dressing in the
society. I like what some schools like University of Abuja and
Nasarawa State University, Keffi are doing on indecent dressing.
Government must ban unscrupulous music videos and films,
while parents must discourage their children from such
dressings. In the same vein, teachers must discourage this
madness. Young people must know that indecent dressing do
not improve their beauty, rather, they dent their image and it
also symbolises rebellion and immorality, ending in
molestation”, she cautions.
Also, Mr Peter Abbass, a Psychology lecturer in Nasarawa State
Polytechnic stated: “I think it‘s time a course on immorality or
indecent dressing is introduced in schools. I think it is low self-
esteem that is making young girls to dress indecently. It makes
them believe that they have to do something, sometimes
improper to be noticed, this is to fill an emptiness in their lives.
They are not contented with their abilities and beauty.
“These young girls see other ladies dressing that way and
because men chase after such girls, the girl with very low self-
esteem will want to join them to get the same attention. One
thing about indecent dressing is that it attracts attention;
whether it is a negative or positive one, the bottom line is that it
attracts attention. People must stare and automatically, such a
person is noticed. So, when a girl who feels insecure wants to
be noticed, she resorts to indecent dressing.
“Indecent dressing portrays our society and institution as
immoral, if it’s in the church, it portrays the pastor as weak and
not spiritually sound. Parents and adults must dress well and
honourably as an example for younger generations. The mass
media should promote good moral values and religious leaders
must strongly preach against indecent dressing because you
will be addressed by the way you are dress,” he said.
For Pastor John Ishaku, Christian parents must teach their
children how to dress decently because that is what the Bible
says. “In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in
modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with
braided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array; But (which
becomes women professing godliness) with good works.” So it
is a command from the Bible. It is a sin for a lady dressing half
naked to walk in the street or come to church”.
Mallam Yahaya Abdulaziz, a Muslim cleric also stated that, “No
good Muslim woman will dress indecently because it is clearly
written ‘Tell the believing men that they shall subdue their eyes
(and not stare at the women), and to maintain their chastity.
This is purer for them. God is fully cognizant of everything they
do’.”