A university lecturer, Dr. Johnson Ajiwoju, has linked the increasing trend of male students wearing rings and plaiting their hair, alongside female students dressing in revealing outfits, to what he described as moral decline and generational influence.
In an interview with Western Post, Ajiwoju explained that the development is largely the result of poor parenting and the influence of modern global fashion.
“The rise in male students wearing rings and plaiting hair, and female students dressing in revealing outfits, can be attributed to both moral decline and generational shift. Why? Because there are presently high level of moral decadence, which is as a result of failure from the part of the present parents, to instil discipline in their children right from childhood. In other words, this is an aftermath of poor parenting… Hence, it is simply a generational shift in fashion which is a global thing in trend presently. The parents are the ones who are mostly responsible for it because poor parenting or upbringing, in no doubt, leads to moral decadence,” he said.
While responding to questions on students’ right to self-expression, Ajiwoju stressed that cultural values should take precedence over personal choices in African societies.
“The first thing we need to ask ourselves, before we talk about students’ right to self-expression, what is our culture in this part of the world? And what does our culture expect from every individual living in this part of the world? … As an African, you are expected to be moderate in dress and everything. In this case, you don’t have any right of self-expression but you are totally subjected to what your culture dictates to you.”
He also maintained that the challenge facing higher institutions is not the absence of rules but weak enforcement of existing ones.
“Consequent upon this and in line with my earlier submission, the problem is with enforcement not the rules or the students themselves. As good as OAU’s rules and regulations… they will be a mirage if the school’s management fails to strictly enforce them.
“Hence, enforcement is the bedrock of getting rid of lawlessness, not only in higher institutions of learning, but also in every society where human beings are in existence.”
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