OAU Disowns Viral Memo on Dress Code Circulating

Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) Management Disowns Viral Memo on Dress Code, Hints on Plan for Regulation.

The management of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State, has cleared the air on a trending circular announcing a dress code purportedly for students of the university.

The university in a statement made available via its official X handle @oauniversity on Tuesday, said the trending circular was not from the management of the institution and urged parents and the public to disregard it.

The statement added that although the management was making plans to regulate dressing for students, it will do so with consideration for the interests of all concerned.

"The authorities of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, wishes to clear the air on a trending circular announcing a dress code purportedly for students of the University, and affirm that the trending circular did not emanate from the University.

"Though such a decision was being considered, the management would avoid whatever could portray the University in bad light and bring it on collision course with any of its different stakeholders.

"In the circular that had gone viral, rustication for one semester was highlighted as punishment for students that commit misconduct such as putting on “sexually provocative dresses, backless clothes, transparent wears, off-shoulder clothes, bum shorts’, etc.

"Another misconduct contained in the circular includes “unwelcome touching, kissing, and hugging of the opposite sex, massaging or sitting on the laps by the opposite sex,” all liable to rustication for two semesters.Male students were warned against “Hair plaiting or weaving,” among others.

"The University, therefore, would urge all students, parents, guardians and all other stakeholders to disregard the document in circulation, as the authors of the said circular were being deliberately mischievous and disruptive.", the state read

ICB reports that the Students’ Union leadership of the university in a statement late Sunday, jointly signed by the President, Secretary-General and the PRO of the union, Abbas Ojo, Opeyemi Akinboni and Omisore Elijah, respectively, kicked against the proposed dress code for the students.

“As a union, we differ with the plan of the management to regulate students’ mode of dressing which is a violation of their rights to freedom of expression as guaranteed in all known laws.

“We must state unequivocally that the university campus is not a prison and that the use of uniform is really backward and archaic as it does not in any way contribute to the learning process,”, parts of the statement read.

MySchoolNews reporting.