Causes of Indecency in African Society

Causes of indecency in African Society has become a case study like other social vices such as drug abuse, cultism and prostitution, indecent dressing has become a major moral misconduct among students of Nigerian tertiary institutions. Indecent or crazy dressing, also known as “dress to kill” is rampant among universities, polytechnics and colleges of education students, particularly the females; all in the name of wanting to look “sexy,” “sensuous,” “tantalising” and “stimulating,” forgetting that they ought to look responsible instead.  Wearing skimpy clothes, also known as “fitted,” strapless and short blouses and sagging of trousers - “low waist” or “ass down,” by boys and even girls, cleavages and sleeveless shirts, also known as “spaghetti or off-shoulder,” are major moral problems associated with decency in dressing faced in tertiary institutions today.


Apart from the skimpy and tight fitting nature of these dresses, they are again transparent; revealing certain parts of the bodies that under normal dressing patterns ought to be hidden away from the glare of people. Ironically, these are the renowned modern fashion trends among students nowadays.  

Indecent dressing is a social illness practiced by the youth. It simply means an act of deliberately exposing one’s self to the public. The practice does not comply with the norms, value and culture of the society, particularly in Africa. It is hard for wrong doing to be corrected in places like; churches, offices, because the result in doing so will be hatred, malice, condemnation and so on. It is a habit embraced by all age in the society. It has been inculcated by the young of nowadays.

Indecency is an order of the day in our present black community. It is said that the way one dresses will determine the way one will be addressed. It is a complete shame that most of our youth are dressed in “stylish rags,” and very much unlike the olden days when decent dressing was the pride. In fact, some parents would even allow their sons and daughter to wear appalling dresses and attires. How disgraceful!

A 300-level female student was raped in the school environment at night. When the culprit was arrested and questioned, he defended himself, saying’ it’s not my fault that I raped her, she wanted it herself. I was sitting and reading on my own when she entered the class, she wore net singlet revealing the red bra she wore. Even her bra could not cover the breast, her skimpy black skirt was a sharpshooter and I’m sure she deliberately wore white panties to expose herself well. She bends right in front of me so I got the signal, that was what led me to have a carnal knowledge of her”.

Anything that is put on that can irritate, appall, intimidate, and rouse the sexual urge of the opposite sex is an indecent dressing. Some people would think of females at the mention of this case, but it is not true; a guy can dress indecently too. Any guy that looks around in an environment and sees females staring at him with an indecent look and manner should check the way he is dressed first. The major cause of assault and sexual harassment recorded in the society are many.

Civilization which is an advanced stage of social development has played a negative role in the life of the youth. In today’s Nigeria, over exposure to foreign culture through modern day channels of mass communication like satellite, broadcast, internet and unregulated pirated videos have taken toll on the moral rectitude of the youth, especially girls .Dresses that are meant as stage costumes for musicians and actresses are misconstrued by gullible female students as everyday wears. As a result of this, ladies dress half naked to school, all in the name of fashion. Imitation plays a negative role in the life of the youth nowadays. 

When someone does a thing either good or bad, when someone dresses decently or indecently, another person will therefore imitate them. Innocent boys and girls have been a subject of arrest due to the act of imitating one’s attitude, dressing or behavior. Nowadays, boys’ styles like sagging, hot bosom, low waist etc are unfortunate societal illness which has eaten deep by the youth. It is common among people that so much love to be like one person i.e. when someone is taken as a role model, particularly among the musician and artist. 

This set of people while on stage will want to look unique and in the process turn themselves to lunatics and due to the rate at which they love them, whatever their respective role model do, either positive or negative, wearing decent or indecent dress, they will also imitate. Most of the youth engage themselves in wearing indecent dresses as a result of what they watch on television, as well as what they see among their mates, which they tends to imitate

Inferiority complex which refers to general feeling of not being up to standard has played a negative role in the life of the youth think they are not beautiful enough and want to make up for their “ugliness. They tend to expose their body to attract attention to make them beautiful. It is common among the females.

As the English man said, there nothing in this world that doesn’t have side effect. Some of the effect that indecent dressing has constituted are many.

Sexual harassment is most common among the youth of nowadays. There is the likelihood that ladies who dress indecently could be prone to it .

Wearing skimpy or body exposing dresses which are known in the ancient Africa are referred to as dress pattern. Most ladies found in such dresses are always negotiated for sex. Because they are into prostitution. Most ladies found in this are sometimes without husbands

Ritual killing is another effect, particularly among the females .Most ladies who love money more than their lifes are used for money ritual. Many of them based on their mode of dressing were invited by men for a supposed sex only to be murdered by ritual killers

Poor performance in their academics is so common. Most females in this form of dress tend to have little or no serious time for their academics work, they become useless to themselves, their parent, their community as a whole.

Even at these it is not enough that we stop them, but we should go ahead in educating others for the necessity to stop it too. If corruption and social decadence will end, it will be that the highest population of youth in this country have turned a new leaf and are now living a decent and Godly life. Parent should be mindful of what their children put on to parties (birthday, social) and other social functions. The schools should have a law that students should not be caught wearing some kinds of clothes. 

The movie/music producer must find the right costumes for the artiste. The employers should have a dressing code for their organization. The mass media must promote good moral values. Religious leaders should preach against it. Indecency is the root of immorality and the father of sexual harassment and abuse. Let’s join hands together to put an end to immorality and corruption in this country through decent dressing.

The truth is that if you want to be noticed in any where you are or found yourself; you need to look good and dress neat for best attraction not by Indecent Dressing and Indecency in the Church, the problems is that large number of individuals drive a great deal of excitement in getting took note. To achieve this, they choose to dress indecent dressing and indecency in the church. You might be amazed that one reason why individuals dress revoltingly to the congregation is to be seen however that is only reality.

Such a large number of individuals have various types of mindsets that are driving and driving them. An excellent young lady who realizes that she is genuinely delightful might attempt to demonstrate the assembly the stuff she is made of and thus discover happiness in indicating possibly her laps or pile to the assemblage. Rather than paying consideration on the sermon going ahead in the congregation, her brain gets to be loaded with how to get the consideration of the other individuals at alternate parts of the congregation.

The same applies to the youthful male young people of today. Some male young people who are into demonstrating require significant investment to dress disgustingly to the congregation just to demonstrate the assemblage what they do. The level of profanity in the congregation is developing on regular routine and among the reasons is on the grounds that a few individuals from the congregation need to be taken note.

1. In order to escape from the web of poverty, some young people tend to mortgage their dignity and future prospects by depleting their human and physical capital and adopting risky behaviours including prostitution which is a harbinger of indecent dressing and exposure. 

2. Influx of foreigners into Ghana. Some foreigners whose cultures do not see anything wrong with certain dress codes, seen as contrary to the locally accepted standards of decency in Ghana come in with such dress codes influencing our young men and women. Typical examples of such dress codes are boys in ear rings, exposing of busts, chest, abdominal parts, buttocks and other sensitive parts like thighs and breasts. All these are out of tone with our indigenous Ghanaian cultures. 

3. Wrong mentality. While agreeing that we have a serious problem at hand, many people have the mentality that nothing can be done about it. They argue strongly that the young people of every generation have pervading social behavioural characteristics and that such behaviours are part of social change and must be allowed to stay as they are.

4. Poor parenting is a major factor. Some parents dress in unacceptable ways, making it difficult for them to correct their wards when they see them indecently dressed. Some adults also provide inspiration for these young ones to continue to indulge in indecent dressing and exposure to their admiration. Some parents are unable to seize indecent dresses sewn or bought by their children.

5. Our Churches are also a breeding ground for indecent dressing. Some members of the Church congregation dress in all sorts of indecent fashions that the elders turn a blind eye to. As this continues, others also imitate. 

6. Wrong use of internet cannot be ruled out. Some students of higher institutions of learning who are supposed to use the internet to do research rather engage in social networks like facebook, twitter, LinkedIn, Imo, Whatsapp among others. They also watch videos on youtube and other networks that expose them to foreign dress codes that are not in conformity with our indigenous Ghanaian cultures and then try to emulate such dressings. 

7. The types of movies our children watch at homes also promote indecent dressing. Most of our Nigerian movies, especially, have various degrees of indecent exposures that children shouldn’t have been watching. Yet parents are unable to control this.

8. Peer pressure.

9. Another important cause of indecent dressing is the fading out of our own cultural values and a so-called modernization. In the past, the privacy of individuals was their dignity. Today, the more naked one is the more respected he or she is among peers. 

10. Stigmatization and ridicule being meted out to young girls in particular who dress decently and well-covered by their colleagues who only see them as being anti-social, backward and primitive causes such young girls to try to look like their colleagues so as to escape being ostracized. This is not peer pressure.

See also: Causes and Effects of Indecent Dressing Among Youths in the Society

1. It leads to rape

2. It promotes prostitution

3. It triggers sexual assault 

4. HIV/AIDS as a result of illicit sex, prostitution and sexual assault encouraged by indecent exposure 

5. Disrespect among young men and women

6. Infestation of younger ones who apparently look up to their elder ones as models

7. Moral decadence. The hitherto morally upright society is gradually being replaced by a society filled with indecency and which will consequently be accepted by all players in that society. 

8. Stigmatization. A two-way form of stigmatization occurs as those who dress decently are teased by the agents of immorality and vice versa.

1. Adults should dress decently and responsibly to constitute good models for younger ones to emulate.

2. The state should enact laws outlawing indecent dressing.

3. Society should place stiff punishments for culprits of indecent dressing.

4. The authorities of Higher Institutions of Learning should prescribe dress codes or uniforms for all students and make decency a key element.

5. There is the need for society to undergo some form of attitudinal change.

6. Religious leaders should preach against indecencies in the churches and mosques and offer prayers and sacrifices for divine intervention.

7. The media houses have a role to play in educating and sensitizing the general public on the dangers associated with all forms of indecent dressing.

8. Companies looking for employees should consider their dressing styles before giving them appointment and withdraw employees who later take to indecent dressing.

9. Media commission should outlaw the showing of movies that are indecent in terms of dressing by actors and actresses.

10. Importation of certain dresses that are considered indecent by Ghanaian moral standards should be banned.

Conclusion

To further complement the efforts of the management of tertiary institutions in reducing widespread immorality on Nigerian campuses, the following measure needs to be taken: parents should be good moral exemplars to their children; give them attention and regulate the films they watch at home. Through home videos, satellite images and other media agents, wrong values, fashions (modern, modest and immodest) are traded across cultures and nations.

As agents of socialisation, the mass media must promote good moral values. The display of indecently dressed young girls (nudity) in advertisements and promotions should be discouraged. Radio and television programmes that promote moral values and the sanctity of sex should always be transmitted.

There is also the need to regulate the use of the Internet especially among youth, because majority of the youths are exposed to different kinds of immoral activities on the Internet through pornographic videos, advertisements, fashion parades and music.
Religious leaders must preach against immorality in the society, counsel and deliver those under demonic influence.

In addition, there is the need for general orientation of staff and students on the need for good moral conduct. Students and members of staff should be educated on what is expected of them to ensure that they do not get used to values that are unduly antisocial.