They say you are addressed the way you are dressed. Indecent dressing defines a person regardless of the attitude he/she portrays. This is one of the impermissible practices on the norms and values of the society but it has now become a welcoming act in the lives of the youths as a result of influence.
According to Schlecht (2003) celebrities are people who enjoy public recognition by a large share of certain groups of people. The act of communicating negatively through their dressing is not one to be quiet about, they ignore the fragile minds of the youths who can easily be manipulated. Most of our famous artiste and celebrities whose fashion styles of mini skirts that partially covers their sensitive parts with skimpy tops which seductively shows parts of their breast. This affects the youths especially in the educational aspect.
Nowadays , male students wear unbuttoned T-shirts with jeans hanging below their waist line(sagging) revealing their boxers. They feel so comfortable with all this there by disregarding societal values and even break the rules of their institutions despite the school rules against improper dressing, the females wear sexy outfits to attend lectures all because of the trending styles worn by music artistes and celebrities which hardly makes them look appreciable and they will be regarded as children with no proper home training. Omede (2011)stated that there is hardly any tertiary institution in this country that is not faced with this nauseating problem and further stressed that ways students on campuses particularly the female dress seductively leaves much to be desired.
Moreover, the students imitate the act of using half naked pictures and videos for fame and money. Why will a young female student who make educative videos have less likes and comments compare to one who wears a sensitive dress dancing erotically get more likes and comments. This influence has made indecent dressing seem like it is normal and unquestionable. The love for celebrities and music artistes make them disregard all their trainings as a child, most of the youth desire to wear same outfit as their favourite celebrity, they even go about defiling themselves with young and old men as a female while the males go into fraud , all this acts makes the innocent youths go into depression as result of peer pressure .
Nigeria celebrities who have adopted the western culture and their way of dressing and even overdo it. You will see the image of a celebrity wearing a top with no sleeves and a short that has the shape of a pant in the harmattan season, their aims might be to get attention and make more money but there are so many ways to dress decently and still be the talk of the Town. This youths look up to them and they should endeavour to appear decent rather than shaking their buttocks on music videos with a pant that barely cover their sensitive parts.
I sincerely plead with the celebrities to impact good value to the lives of our youth. To the youths ,let us say no to the imitation of indecent influence of celebrities by obeying the dress code rules of higher institutions, our place of worship e.t.c. God bless you all.
Ndukpu Ebere writes from Lagos State University.
