A video has surfaced online of Olabisi Onabanjo University in Ogun State, Nigeria, which has ignited widespread criticism after it showed female staff physically checking female students for bras before allowing them into an examination hall.

The footage, which has gone viral on social media, depicts staff touching students’ breasts to enforce the university’s dress code, according to a BBC report.

University's policy of "no bra, no exam"
The university’s policy, described as a “no bra, no exam” rule, is implemented to uphold a dress code that prohibits “indecent dressing.”

According to a FirstPost report, student union leader Muizz Olanrewaju Olatunji defended the policy on social media platform X, stating it promotes a “respectful and distraction-free environment” by encouraging modesty in line with the institution’s values.

He shared excerpts from university guidelines defining indecent dressing as clothing that exposes “sensitive body parts” or provokes “indecent” reactions.

Olatunji noted that the policy is not new and that the student union is discussing alternative enforcement methods with university officials to ensure respectful interactions.

Nigerian conservative culture
While Olabisi Onabanjo University is not religiously affiliated, Nigeria’s conservative culture, where 53.5% of the population is Muslim and nearly 44% is Christian, often emphasises modesty, particularly in rural areas.

Dress codes are common in Nigerian universities, frequently banning miniskirts for women and dreadlocks or earrings for men.

An anonymous student told the BBC that the university rigorously enforces its moral code, with clothing checks being a routine occurrence. However, the physical checks shown in the video have drawn sharp criticism. 

Haruna Ayagi, a senior official from the Human Rights Network, warned that such “unwarranted touches” violate personal rights and could lead to legal action, calling the university’s method inappropriate.