In a recent announcement, Godfrey Okoye University in Enugu State, Nigeria, has imposed a new dress code for its staff and students. The university, owned by the Catholic Diocese of Enugu, has prohibited the wearing of shorts, fingernails, eyelashes, and other artificial materials to lectures and work.
The Vice Chancellor of the University, Reverend Father Christian Anieke, addressed the staff and students of the university and its group of institutions, stating that the new rules were necessary to promote a conducive and focused learning environment.
Fr Anieke warned that any staff or student found wearing tights or materials that expose sensitive parts of their body would not be tolerated, as such acts would distract other members of the university community. The Vice-Chancellor also made it clear that only black and brown hair would be allowed on campus, and staff and students had one month to adjust to the new rules, or they would face disciplinary action.
Furthermore, the university announced that students would be expected to wear their faculty uniforms from Tuesdays to Fridays. Fr Anieke pointed out that this directive followed the abuse of the approval for students to wear cultural attires on Fridays. The exchange of pornographic materials is also prohibited in the institutions, and anyone found violating this rule will be severely dealt with.
Fr Anieke advised the staff of the group of institutions to be proactive and cover up their lectures, as the management would not have any excuse in case of disruption of the nation’s academic programmes.
The Vice-Chancellor also warned final-year students against plagiarism, directing the university librarian to carry out plagiarism tests on all research works by the students and staff of the institutions. He encouraged students to report any staff who frustrate them in the completion of their projects.