Outrage Erupts Over Nigerian University’s Controversial 'No-Bra, No-Exam' Policy

The 'no-bra, no-exam' rule at Olabisi Onabanjo University in Nigeria has prompted widespread condemnation, with critics calling it archaic and akin to sexual assault. As students voice their rights violations, university officials defend the policy aimed at maintaining decorum.

A Nigerian university has come under fire following the emergence of a video displaying female students being physically checked to ensure they are wearing bras before entering an exam hall. The footage, which has quickly gone viral, shows female staff members at Olabisi Onabanjo University in Ogun State inspecting the chests of students forming a queue for an examination.

While the university has yet to provide an official response, a student leader has defended the controversial bra-checking policy, arguing that it is part of a broader institutional dress code intended to uphold “a distraction-free environment.” However, he concurred that more appropriate means of enforcing this policy might be warranted, as critics have condemned it as outdated, sexist, and comparable to sexual assault.

According to Haruna Ayagi, a senior official at the Human Rights Network, students may have grounds to file a lawsuit against the university due to violations of their rights. "Unwarranted touches on another person's body is a violation and could lead to legal action. The university is wrong to adopt this method to curb indecent dressing," Ayagi stated.

One unnamed student spoke to the BBC, expressing her frustration at the strict moral codes enforced by the institution, which is not affiliated with any religious organization. She noted that students' clothing is routinely scrutinized.

In response to the backlash, the president of the university’s students' union, Muizz Olatunji, addressed the issue on X, asserting that the institution’s dress code is designed to maintain a respectful atmosphere, urging students to adhere to modest standards. He clarified that the policy is longstanding and that the union is engaged in discussions on alternative, more respectful means of addressing issues of indecent dressing. The published dress code includes prohibitions against outfits “capable of making the same or opposite sex to lust after the student in an indecent manner.”

Founded in 1982 under the name Ogun State University, Olabisi Onabanjo University was renamed in 2001 after the then-state governor. The unfolding controversy reflects broader tensions around dress codes and women’s rights in educational institutions across Nigeria.