Indecent dressing means deliberate exposure of one’s body to the public.

Today, many Nigerians cannot do without foreign dressing styles. One thing that must be noted is that many of these European modes of dressing have relegated our cultures to the background and given prominence to alien cultures.

The idea that a lady should put on trousers and mini skirts, and that a man should sag his trouser is what we have copied from foreign climes. All these are alien to our culture. Miniskirt is a short that reveals the sensory parts of a lady. Sagging, on its own, portrays rascality and abnormal behaviour in society.

In a traditional African society, wearing a mini skirt and sagging trousers is abominable and embarrassing. We imbibe odd cultures to erode our values in the name of civilisation. In Africa, the mode of dressing commands respect.

Good dressing is good business. It will elicit respect in all ramifications; and most importantly, it will save women the trauma of being raped. Indecent dressing is a social malady that cuts across many countries of the world. It is the deliberate exposure of one’s body to the public. This habit is embraced byall ages in society but it is prevalent among the youth, especially girls. Dresses that are meant as stage costumes for musicians and actresses are worn bysome youths as everyday attires. A teenager must be cautious of the kind of clothes he puts on.

Indecent dressing, no matter how we link it to civilisation, has no place in African culture. Our culture places so much prestige on dignity and humanity. Whether in the West or African society, indecent dressing is one among other causes of the various despicable vices and harassment.

Alas, this menace is gradually becoming a norm and the etiquette in African communities. Our culture is being eroded byan impolite mode of dressing. Culturally, a country will remain a progressive nation if its citizens promote its culture through observance. But, the reverse is the case in today’s African society.

Among ladies of today, horrible dresses, such as mini skirts, bumper shorts, armless and show back popularly known as spaghetti tops are the order of the day. One needs more than a gift of discernment to differentiate a prostitute among ladies who dress in provocative wears.

Men are also culpable in this social malady.  There is no reason for a child who hails from a good home to keep dreadlocks on his head or pierce his ears in the name of fashion. The question is: who do we blame for this malaise? Parents? Society? Or peer groups? I leave this to your imagination.

To curb the menace of indecent dressing, parents should play good role models to instil morality in their children. They must give their children attention and regulate the type of movies they watch at home. The mass media must promote good moral values, while religious organisations must preach against them. The introduction of dress codes in colleges or universities will also help to stem these obscene dresses. All these are necessary if decency must be achieved. Let us revive our culture; let us imbibe the fashion that suits our society.

#saynotoindecentdressing

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