Law against indecent dressing

A member of the Nigerian Senate, Senator Eme Ekaette, has hinted that the National Assembly would soon promulgate a law against indecent dressing in the country. Ekaette is the Senate’s Committee Chairperson on Women and Youth.

She spoke to the press recently and agonized that indecent dressing amongst Nigerians has continued to promote all manner of vices in the society. The senator was worried that if nothing was done to stall the onslaught, more harm would be done to both our national psyche and the moral foundation of the country. She said: “I believe that there are certain parts of the body that must be covered. You cannot go naked in the name of fashion.” That was profoundly said.

We share Senator Ekaette’s angst. There is indeed general concern about the way many Nigerians dress these days, especially our womenfolk and we want to believe that the senator’s worries are instructed by this. It is a genuine concern because what we have these days in the name of fashion is nothing short of nudity. It has become so pervasive that you can hardly distinguish between married and unmarried women.

It is a big shame that some of our mothers and sisters have continued to debase themselves in the name of fashion. As the senator said, decency and even our traditional norms and practices demand that a woman clothe herself properly. Traditionally, there are some parts of the body that must not be exposed. But that would now seem like a tale from the past. Indeed, it is scandalizing.

We believe that there must be sanctity of the human anatomy, particularly those parts that are recognized as private. Unfortunately, it would seem that most of our activities and perceptions have conspired against our sense of decency and which of course includes the way we dress. These are times when most of our cognitions are daily assaulted by sex and sensuality. Even our language and advertisement materials and presentations are now couched in obvious amorous guises. We agree therefore that there is a high degree of human debasement in the way many Nigerians now dress.


To that extent, we align ourselves with the distinguished senator. We appreciate where she is coming from and want to agree also that she means well. It is a genuine concern from a wife, a mother a sister and a respectable member of the Senate of the Federal Republic. However, we are at pains to agree with the notion that dressing should be legislated.

Much as we accept that dressing in some ways (as we see today in our society) is capable of promoting immorality of the sexual type, it is not in the place of the National Assembly or anybody whatsoever to promulgate laws prescribing how people should dress. For one, it is against the spirit and letters of the Rights to Personal Liberty as enshrined in Section 35 (1) of the 1999 Constitution.

Also, the impossibility of enacting a law against indecent dressing, as it is being proposed, would derive from the fact that it is just as impossible to define what indecent dressing means. In other words, how would indecent dressing be defined to accommodate all shades of individual idiosyncrasies of every Nigerian? Dressing, as a human fancy, is a matter of value. Which will mean that any action whosoever that would legislate the way people dress would amount to value judgment. Such is against natural justice and fairness.

We therefore say no to any bill that seeks to legislate how Nigerians dress.
Also, asking that such thing as indecent dressing be outlawed, would amount to exercise in futility and to some extent an act in frivolity. Let there be no mistake about it, we are concerned about the moral degeneracy in our society today and part of it is the subject at hand. However, we shall rather apply our energies and resources to things that are practicable.

And again we should ask this pertinent question: Is it enforceable? Can we, in honesty, enforce any law against dressing in this country? The answer is obvious – we cannot. Instead of attempting to legislate the way Nigerians dress, we suggest that the campaign and crusade against indecent dressing be left to homes, NGOs and faith-based organizations.