By Abdullah Tijani
Indecency, as the term implies is often alienated to female, and the victims thereon are often ladies. Whereas, indecency in true sense is never gender-based talk neither is it gender-biased. Though, indecent dressing, as it is known to be in Usmanu Danfodiyo University, there is much tendency to believe the victims should no doubt be women in trousers, but as things change for new, Usmanu Danfodiyo University sheerly turned frankly at male indecency the same way it does for the female counterpart. In this report, the searchlight is on the experience of many acclaimed decent male victims (students), who shared their experiences with THE NEWS DIGEST.
It was on Friday, 24th May 2019, Godwin (not real name), a 100-level medical student narrating how security men of the university stopped and complained about a bead he wears on his wrist. According to him, he and some of his colleagues were on this day heading to the hostel as their normal routine whenever such academic engagement of the day is accomplished. Usually unusual on a student’s walkway which they tread daily – a pedestrian walkway connecting students hall of residence to the hub of the university, a security man in blue uniform called their attention. ‘Kai’, a security man sitting at the edge of walkway said loudly in his Hausa-accented tongue.
This reverberating call caught the attention of Godwin and his colleagues. “Sir do you mean I should come,” Godwin asked in dismay. “Yes.”
“I started wondering what the business could be with this ‘Baba blue’ (students given name of the university security officers),” Godwin narrated to THE NEWS DIGEST.
“But to be sure I haven’t done anything wrong, before I move closer to his direction, I examined myself. On this day, I was wearing a polo shirt, and a trouser, almost touched the ground with a leather-made footers.”
Ever since the school has declared strict implementation of the rules on indecent dressing, the management has chosen the way of all-it-takes to wage war on indecently dressed students. The university-owned ‘Men in blues’ – also known as security officers have been widely seen hanging around the school premises; their work: enforcing the forgotten rules against indecent a dressing. They linger around, hanging under tree canopies waiting to hunt down indecency in the spirit of whoever falls their victim. Meanwhile, on this day, Godwin didn’t think his dressing could be taken or mistaken as indecent one. So what unfinished deal is this security officer trying to sort out with Godwin?
“On getting to where he and one other security officer were sitting, I was so surprised when he said, ‘remove the bead around your wrist.” That was when I realised the red intertwined bead tied around my wrist is also part of what is called indecent dressing.”
‘How Indecent Is Wearing Of Intertwined Bead?’
It rather sounded riddle to Godwin and his friends. He continues, “I was forced to ask of how intertwined bead become an indecent wear”
In a society of no law, prescribing sin is an unforgivable sin. The Students Handbook under Chapter 25 which reads: “REGULATIONS GOVERNING CONDUCT AND DISCIPLINE OF STUDENTS” – this chapter specified on what should be regarded as nudity and or, indecent dressing on Usmanu Danfodiyo University Campus.
The chapter reads: “They (students) should always appear neat and tidy.
“Wearing of any unbuttoned, half-buttoned or shirts that expose the chest is prohibited.
“Wearing tight-fitting and transparent dress, sleeveless and short blouse, heavy makeup and excessive use of jewelry is prohibited.
“Female students are not allowed to wear shorts/miniskirts outside their halls of residence.
“It is forbidden to attend classes and other academic functions wearing worn out or sliced trousers/skirts; or wearing T-shirts with provocative, insulting or rude messages; or wearing shorts.
“Male students are not allowed to wear earrings and necklaces or perm/weave their hair.
“Wearing of dark glasses during lectures (except on medical grounds) is prohibited.
“Contravention of any of the above attracts punishment as the University deems appropriate.”
Remove The Bead Or You Lose Your Confirmation Letter!
Explaining his encounter with the security officers, Godwin noted that immediately the man noticed he wanted to argue, he requested for his confirmation letter.
As a 100-level students, moving around with confirmation letter is expected – as a temporal means of identification pending the issuance of valid student I.D card.
“I protested to the security men that the bead was given to me by my grandmother, but when I realized that they may not want to return my confirmation letter, I removed the bead and put it inside my pocket. Then the man gave me my confirmation letter and I left,” narrated, Godwin.
Decency At All Cost
Unlike Godwin whose fate of confusion on decency and indecency was decided after his test, the case with Saheed Aliyu seems unfortunate. He had encountered a brain-disturbing issue of indecency before writing his test.
Narrating his ordeal, Aliyu, with anger dominating his voice, explained how a security man waylaid his way to the test. He begins: “There was this morning I have a test, I was hurrying to class before a security man ran after me and stopped me. He said I should go back because the trouser I was wearing is not decent.”
“The trouser I wore that day wasn’t too tight, wasn’t too big, wasn’t ripped also, it was just a normal one. But this security man insisted I go back to the hostel.
“I was even surprised he had to run after me, because I was far away from where they were. Since I have a test, I pretended to agree and went to pass another way not knowing he was waiting for me. He collected my I.D card this time around and sent me away.
Aliyu had no choice than to change his trousers — thinking on who bears the lost so he miss the test. Realizing all his wears might still fuel the flame, he resolved to lend one from his friend at the hostel.
“I was embarrassed that day but I don’t have a choice because I have a test to write and I don’t want to miss it. I have to return back to the hostel to change the trouser.
“I quickly returned to hostel to change my trousers, but I was afraid he might still say the other one is Indecent; because all my trousers look slightly the same. So I borrowed one trouser from my friend — a trouser which I think is relatively bigger than my own.
“But to my utmost surprise, after returning to the man, he insisted that even the one I had borrowed was still indecent, and as if he is the course lecturer, he started ranting that he wouldn’t allow me to write the test.
“The time is not by my side and I didn’t want to give back to hostel, so I begged him. He later gave me my I.D and let me go after saying he just allow me for that day.”
Indecency: Between Security Men And Students’ Handbook, Who’s Right?
When contacted by this reporter, Lukman Bamidele could not hide his anger on the embarrassment caused by the discretional indecency of the security men. In an interviewwith this reporter, he narrated how he was harassed in the name of indecent dressing.
“I have been harassed because I wore a denim trouser. This is my forth year on this campus, and I believe I know what and what is indecency. Ever since I came to this campus as a student, I have not been subjected to something like this. It’s not a coincidence, it’s because I’ve always been law abiding.
Just as Aliyu claimed, Lukman held the stance that the trouser he wore on this day is in no way bad to be indecently regarded.
Lukman continues: “Nothing happens to the jeans but I don’t know why they said I should go back and change it. I was so shocked when the security man said they don’t allow this type of trousers in the university.
“After that day, I wore it again because I know it doesn’t break any rule, and I walked in front of the security men thinking they will still stop me, but nothing of such again. That means indecency in this school is subjected to the discretion of security men. The students know the rules. Though, I’m not saying some students are not breaching it, but the security men do not often follow what is in the handbook — they prioritize their discretion. The consequences don’t always fall on the law breaker, but on students who wouldn’t believe decency could be mistaken for indecency.”
Strange to the land, the rules and regulations upholding its existence, Oyelowo Gideon – a 100-level student who on many occasions witnessed how the security men approached their victims had his ignorance on rules against indecent wears tortured.
Narrating his experiences, Gideon relates: “I’m also aware that they are chasing male students with ribbed jeans and those who sagged their trousers, which I think chasing them away is good. Because on a normal circumstance, one shouldn’t be wearing ribbed or sagging jeans.”
Gideon, however, feels the main job of the security men is to secure the school from harm and dangers. But what danger are they securing from harassing decent students? Especially when insecurity is one of the main threat to students survival on campus.
“This job they are doing is not necessary, their main job is to secure the school not to be chasing students all around.”
Indecency And Its Danfodiyo Confusing Nature
Responding to questions on the confusion hovering in the air – on indecent dressing, Professor Aminu Mode, the Dean of Students’ Affairs of Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto made clarification on the stance of the university – even if not all stated in the ‘dress code’ which he was given to students together with their confirmation letter – on the term indecency.
DSA clarifies: “The restriction is in the university rules, and any students can check his/her ‘dress code’ card given to them at the confirmation centre.
”But the school authority will not relent in given clarification on this issue on the request of any student.”
He however, assured that the University would advance its measure to further avert misunderstanding on such cases between students and the security officers – by providing detailed billboards whose installation has already started around the school premises.