The management of Obafemi Awolowo University has debunked the viral statement and document containing the dress code for students that was approved by the University council. In the viral statement, it was announced that the management of Obafemi Awolowo University officially approved a revised dress code for students on July 24, 2025. According to the release, the decision was made during the University Council’s meeting held on Tuesday, June 3rd and Wednesday, June 4th, and was communicated through a circular allegedly released by the Office of the Registrar.
The release stated that the University council approved the dress code after due deliberation of the now-approved proposal of the dress code; students found guilty of specific dress code violations face rustication for one (1) semester.
Recall that in 2023, The Punch reported that the university management distanced itself from a then-viral circular proposing a student dress code. In a response from the University’s Public Relations Officer, Mr Abiodun Olarenwaju, in 2023, he stated clearly that the circular is not from the university.
However in the the viral document, the “MISCONDUCT ” include wearing of Sexually Provocative dresses, backless clothes, transparent clothes, off-shoulder clothes, bum shorts, tattered jeans. Others include dreadlocks, faring for males/cowries for females, micro/mini/skimpy dress, sagging for males/females, hair braiding for males, nose/mouth/eye/extra rings, unconventional wearing of a face cap, tattoo / indelible markings for males, haircuts with inscriptions, heavy make-ups, rumpled and dirty clothes, hair plaiting or weaving by male students, among others.
Additionally, it included that sanctions will be attached to certain violations, with rustication for two (2) semesters on “MISCONDUCT”, such as coloured hairstyles, hair braiding for males, spangled hairstyle for males, unwelcome touching, kissing, hugging of the opposite sex, and massaging or sitting on the lap of the opposite sex.
Dress Code sparks backlash among students
The allegedly approved dress code sparked major backlash among students, who are now voicing their disapproval across X (formerly Twitter) using the hashtag #NOtoDressCodeinOAU with their posts in the OAU Twitter(X) community.
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@Oluwatomiwa_ wrote, “I gats get reason to wear face cap because nah dressing misconduct,” mocking the policy’s strictness. @heisIreee asked, “So make I no hug, because of OAU?”, while @DRealTripp added, “OAU wan they move like Covenant University with this dress code on top small 76k wey we dey pay for school fees.” @hustlecapt declared, “They’ve been at this shit since 2002. We must continue to resist!”
Others like @Temmzy55 joked, “This is high school all over again,” and @Cblaq_ questioned, “Why dem go bring hugging, lapping, and kissing into the rule?” The majority of the students called the dress codes excessive, outdated, and referred to them as a misplaced priority by the university management.
In a Journo reply from Priscilia, a student from the faculty of Agriculture, she stated, ‘I think the university management have no control over what people wear as long as they are not the ones providing the clothes that people wear, either, and they cannot monitor our activities, the reason they are there is basically for academic activities.’
To Pricilia, the new dress code seems like a misplacement of priorities, and the school’s role is for academic reasons, not to police the students. If the school management decides to address dress codes, they should be clear and logical. Saying things like “don’t show your chest or thighs” without real justification feels like they are ”beating about the bush ”. Priscila also cited instances where Cultural and religious expression matters, she said, ‘there’s a tribe whereby their navel showing is part of their cultural wear. This is a university, not a church. We are adults, not children. If I wanted to be a nun, I wouldn’t be in the university. Let us focus on what matters, education.’
However, an alumnus of the University, Barrister Kanmi Oladoyin, provided a contrasting view that the dress code approval was a move to ensure sanity in the university. He stated, “It was made to ensure or restore sanity in the school environment. No law is made for fun or intimidation, but to clamp down on unwanted vices that may inhibit the peace and tranquillity of society. Ignorance of this law would not be acceptable as an excuse, hence the rationale behind the publicity being given to it.”
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The student union of the school, in its release on the 24th of June, addressing the issue, maintains a strong opposition to the alleged dress code as they view it as an infringement on freedom of expression guaranteed under the Nigerian constitution and a clear violation of the Nigerian Constitution
In the release signed by the President, General Secretary and the P.R.O. of the Union, it called on the University management to distance itself from the alleged approved dress codes, just like it had done before in 2023.
OAU Clarifies
In a statement signed by the University registrar, Mr Kamaardeen Bakare, the Management of the University distanced itself from the viral document that included the dress code. Also, the statement further added that, while the University hope to release an official dress code, it would be directed to enhance “academic sensibilities, social decency and ethical standards in line with the University’s motto, ‘for learning and culture.'”
In the meantime, the University informs the general public to disregard the viral statement and document.