Across most Nigerian universities, rules are often framed as tools for discipline, morality or “order”. But when one takes a closer look at these rules, some of them say less about structure and more about control, especially over women’s bodies, movement, and self-expression.
In this article, we spoke to women from different Nigerian universities who shared the most ridiculous rules they were expected to follow.
1. “Security personnel believed that the girls were out late to fornicate” – Kemi*, 25, Madonna University
Once it was 6 pm, girls were not allowed on campus, but, of course, the boys were free to roam. I never went against that rule because I knew how often they handed out suspensions and expulsions like souvenirs. I did have a friend who was caught outside by 6 pm. She went home for a semester.
Most of the time, security personnel believed that the girls were out late to fornicate, so that鈥檚 usually what they told the disciplinary committee. It does not really matter whether you were actually just outside inhaling fresh air.聽
2. “They tested me for pregnancy without my consent” – Rachael*, 21, Adeleke University
There was a particular semester when they enforced a rule where girls who wanted to go home had to take a pregnancy test first. Apparently, the reason why the rule was enforced was that they found out that a girl who had requested to go home was pregnant.
Some were saying the pregnancy test was a rumour, but I won鈥檛 ever forget going to the school clinic because I was having blackouts, and they tested me for pregnancy without my consent. I crashed out for days.
3. “They could make you fill a dress code violation form” – Semilore*, 23, Covenant University
For some reason, we couldn鈥檛 tuck our shirts into trousers. Only skirts. If you get caught, the porters would tell you to untuck it, but if you are unlucky and they are in a bad mood, you would be asked to fill out a dress code violation form.
4. “I was told I couldn’t take my test because of my outfit” – Nifemi*, 24, University of Ilorin
We couldn鈥檛 wear any outfit that showed our armpits or 鈥渂rought out our shape鈥 and any form of 鈥渃razy鈥 jeans. If we did, they would prevent us from attending lectures or even seize our phones. There was a time when I wore partially ripped jean trousers, and I thought it would be okay, until the man in charge of checking our outfits told me I couldn鈥檛 take my test because of them. I had to go and beg someone for their wrapper so I wouldn鈥檛 actually miss my test.聽
5. “I had to wear long tights under my shorts” – Tonia*, 22, Covenant University
The girls couldn鈥檛 wear shorts for sports. Throughout my time there, I had to wear long tights under my shorts, and that was really uncomfortable. Going against that rule meant you were sure to fill out a dress code violation form, and honestly, I couldn鈥檛 risk it.聽
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6. “You are at a risk of facing a disciplinary panel” – Chikamma*, 20, Mountain Top University
Beads (waist and hair) and any type of jewellery were completely banned. Quite ridiculous in my opinion, because how would beads and jewellery come in the way of my learning?
No one could go against the rule because they take punishments seriously. If you are seen with beads in your hair or jewellery anywhere in the vicinity of your skin, you are at risk of facing a disciplinary panel and going home for a semester or two.
7. “They said we shouldn’t distract people who came to worship God” – Ella*, 26, Edward Clark University
We couldn鈥檛 wear bodycon outfits to the chapel because they didn鈥檛 want us 鈥渄istracting people who came to worship God鈥. There was a time my friend went to the chapel in fitted trousers and long sleeves that one would consider extremely decent, but due to the fact that she had a considerably big bum, she drew attention.
Before the end of our service, the chaplain and vice chancellor called her on stage to basically shame her. They talked about how she was there to 鈥渟educe鈥 students, and asked if that was how she was supposed to dress as an usher? After embarrassing her in front of her peers, they suspended her from church duties and sent her out. It was a mortifying experience for her.
8. “It was either a shoulder-length hairstyle, or they cut it off” – Naomi*, 21, Caleb University
Girls are only allowed to make shoulder-length hairstyles. If they don鈥檛, they will literally cut it off. There have been cases where girls who defied this rule weren鈥檛 allowed to go anywhere until they cut their hair to the porters鈥 satisfaction. The only people exempt from this rule are those with naturally long hair.
9. “In their words, lip combos are ‘demonic’” – Yinka*, 22, Adeleke University
They are doing their best to ban lip combos because, in their words, it鈥檚 鈥渄emonic鈥. I didn鈥檛 believe it at first because it seemed so insane, until I was going to lectures one day when the hall administrators called me to their desk and asked me to clean off my lip combo. If I did not, I would have been charged with insubordination for not listening to a hall administrator. These days, I prefer to do my lip combos when I鈥檓 out of the hostel.聽
10. “Heels are completely banned on normal school days” – Ololade*, 23, Lagos State University
Unless there is an event, heels are banned on a normal school day. I don鈥檛 know why that is even a thing because it makes no sense to me. The day I wore kitten heels to school, I was asked to go back to my hostel and bring back a better pair of shoes. My hostel was quite far from the school, and I had lectures that morning. I had to beg my friend to bring shoes that she could lend me.
11. “They said my locs were associated with bondage” -Ibukun*, 22, Bowen University
They loved to fixate on our hairstyles, and as someone with locs, I felt it a lot. Around my 3rd year, I had my locs done, and I tinted the tips with brown dye because black and brown hair colours were allowed. But then, the first day I resumed my clinicals, they started nitpicking my locs and the brown tips. They said my locs were associated with 鈥榖ondage鈥, and they also called them 鈥渞azz鈥. They kept hounding me to dye my tips back to black, and honestly, it was such an exhausting time. I remember being pushed to tears because of this issue.
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