Some Nigerians have decried the high rate of indecent dressings, especially, the wearing of what is called “crazy’’ and skinny jeans by women.
Those who spoke with the NAN in separate interviews in Lagos, condemned the fashion trend while others said that they did not see anything wrong with it.
A reggae musician, who promotes culture in his lyrics, King Solomon, a.k.a. Prince of Love, said the problem of identity and self-confidence, was responsible for crazy-fashion trends among Nigerians.
“Crazy fashion to me is madness. No responsible, enlightened and sensible person will put on torn cloths unless the person has a mental problem, maybe its mental fashion
“I am sorry, but there is no difference between them and a loose psychiatric person on the street,” he said.
The cultural promoter noted that the issue of fashion depended on the economic status and awareness
“It boils down to moral bankruptcy which is being promoted by lack of proper parental guidance, lack of respect for the indigenous cultural heritage, but western influence.
“Unfortunately, some of them dress so to conform to their artistic role models, forgetting that those artists only dress that way for shows on stage.’’
He appealed to government to protect the image of the nation positively through public enlightenment.
He also urged parents, the media and schools to join in ending negative vices such as indecent dressings in the society.
A school teacher, Victor Mbuba, said the fashion was contrary to what was obtainable as more young boys and girls that indulge in it do not care about its moral implication
“I think torn jeans exposes our youths to more risk of immorality while the skinny jeans can cause urinary or bladder problems,” he said.
According to a pastor, Tunde Owofade, the book of first Peter 3:3 to 4, warns that woman should dress in modest way.
He said that indecent dressing would promote immorality in the society.
It could also lead to such negative vices as rape and sexual harassment, he said.
“We should dress in a way that it will not lead many astray.
“Wearing such outfits in some areas that are very sensitive can lead to rape and the embarrassment of such person’s integrity,” he said.
Another cleric, Arasiu Salami, said that wearing torn jeans was not the nation’s culture.
It was a foreign one that found its way into the psychic of our youths and as such took the style as a trending fashion, he said.
“This so-called fashion has its social implication on the society which is negative; yet more people wear it to occasions and some to their places of work.
“Celebrities wear them in their videos, some people even enter holy places of worship putting on torn jeans because they want to be part of the “trending’’ fashion,” he said.
Henry Oyediran, a retired public servant told NAN that the fashion was a practice that was an anti-culture to the progress of the nation socially.
“Of course, the craze for crazy jeans is a glaring debasement of culture. The act of poor socialisation and development brought about by foreign culture.
“But then, it’s not strange among the youth because they are quick at copying attitudes and characters without reasoning,” she said.
Sulaiman Lawal, a fashion designer, told NAN that he believed that people who put on torn jeans were crazy as the name implies.
“The moral implications it has on the society is that the older ones are calling it fashion and making it a trend, while the younger ones are emulating them,” he said.
However, Wahab Ababia, another retired civil servant, noted that some higher institutions disallowed their students from wearing torn jeans in their premises to reduce indecent dressing.
“When I was in school, such fashion was prohibited on campus, and defaulters were sent home without wasting time,” he said.
He urged the government to set laws that would check indecent dressing in the country to reduce its negative effects on the society.
NAN
