The Great Ife Students’ Union of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, has condemned the recently approved dress code by the university’s Governing Council, describing it as an infringement on students’ fundamental rights.
In a statement issued on Thursday, July 24, 2025, and signed by its President-elect, Adelani Oluwatodimu, Secretary-General-elect, Habeeb Isa, and Public Relations Officer-elect, Olowosile Oreoluwa, the union expressed renewed objection to what it called an “alleged dress code policy” introduced by the university management.
“We remain committed to protecting our rights,” the union said, referencing past incidents such as the 2023 dress code circular, which sparked similar outrage before being walked back by university authorities.
The students’ body described the sanctions, ranging from one to two semesters of rustication for certain dress code violations, as “harsh” and “archaic,” asserting that such measures contradict constitutional freedoms.
“The introduction of sanctions such as rustication for perceived ‘misconducts’ stifles and violates students’ fundamental rights to freedom of expression, personal style, and individuality. It also undermines the right to personal liberty as enshrined in Section 35 of the Constitution,” the union stated.
The union further alleged that the policy threatens other rights including freedom of thought, conscience, and religion (Section 38), freedom of movement (Section 41), and protection from discrimination (Section 42).
The Students’ Union called on the university management to distance itself from the punitive policy as it did in 2023.
It also urged students to remain united in defending their liberties against policies “threatening to restrict freedom of appearance, belief, or identity.”
The university’s Governing Council, in a document dated June 13, 2025, approved a revised dress code following recommendations from the Division of Student Affairs and the Legal Review Committee.
The document noted that the code was intended to promote public decency and security.
Sanctions listed in the revised dress code include rustication for one semester for offences such as wearing dreadlocks, off-shoulder clothing, crop tops, sagging trousers, and tattoos.
A second set of violations, such as coloured hairstyles or “unwelcome touching” of the opposite sex, could attract rustication for two semesters.
However, the Legal Review Committee had recommended a more nuanced sanction structure, including official warnings for first-time offenders and more serious penalties for repeat violations.
It also warned against vague terminology like “sexually provocative dresses,” suggesting “indecent dressing” instead to ensure clarity and fairness.
The statement from the Students’ Union concluded with a call for all stakeholders to uphold a learning environment that is inclusive, respectful of diversity, and free from arbitrary control over personal choices.
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OAU Enforces New Dress Code Policy
In a bid to reinforce discipline and curb rising cases of indecent dressing and moral misconduct, the management of Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, has issued a comprehensive dress code policy for students.
The directive, issued under the reference number RDCAC/IBXVV12/266 and dated June 13, 2025, prescribes stringent sanctions ranging from a semester to two semesters of rustication for any student found violating the updated code of conduct.
According to the memo, the university considers clothing such as bomb shorts, transparent wear, off-shoulder dresses, backless clothes, micro mini skirts, tattered jeans, and crop tops as sexually provocative.
Both male and female students have been placed under scrutiny with specific mention of dreadlocks, unconventional hair dye, and excessive make-up for females, while male students are prohibited from braiding or plaiting their hair, sagging trousers, and donning spangled hairstyles.
The directive formed part of OAU’s broader effort to bring sanity to its academic environment. In the words of the university, these sanctions are a response to what it termed “contemporary trends” on campus that undermine academic integrity and social decorum.
“Immorality, hooliganism, and indiscipline cannot be tolerated in a reputable institution like ours,” a section of the policy document read.
Among the most notable infractions that attracts rustication are indecent physical interactions between students of opposite sexes. These include unwelcome hugging, kissing, touching, and even massaging or sitting on each other’s laps.
These actions, according to the school, now attract penalties such as rustication for two semesters.
This part of the directive, sources say, was introduced to address complaints about inappropriate behavior in public spaces within the university.
The new code also outlaws unconventional face cap positioning, multi-colored haircuts with inscriptions, rumpled or dirty clothing, T-shirts bearing obscene messages, and the use of extra rings on the nose, mouth, or eyes.
For male students, wearing cowries, weaving hair, and the use of tattoos are all considered acts of misconduct. The university has categorized these behaviors as threatening to the moral and academic atmosphere of the campus.
While the management insists the measures are necessary to uphold standards, the decision has sparked mixed reactions among students.
Some believe the crackdown is long overdue, arguing that students have grown increasingly complacent in their appearance and conduct.
“This is an academic institution, not a fashion runway,” one student who supported the move told journalist .
“We need some form of order and decency.”
