Social decadence and rot in society

It is painfully disturbing to admit the intensity of the pungent stench currently emanating from the sewers of our current social existence. Where certain questionable characters are criticized, it is sad to find that today’s society has decided to turn a blind eye; accept the abnormal as the norm.

A popular saying among many is, “The way one dresses is the way one will be addressed.” There is no refutation of the wisdom of the advice therein. Since time immemorial, it has been culturally ingrained in us to learn to dress appropriately. But with the twist in our current definition of norms in the name of freedom of identity of person, character and expression, the sanctity of dressing like sane individuals has been misplaced.

A perfect example is the just completed reinforcement of the dress code policy, as released by the Lagos State University, Ojo, Lagos State, on January 18, 2023. This policy emphasized the need for teachers to deny indecently dressed students access to classes. ; prohibit wearing see-through dresses, ripped jeans, wearing tops with obscene or seductive inscriptions, piercings and tattoos; prohibit, among other things, the wearing of worthless, unkempt, extremely false hair or colored artificial hair. Sensing the incipient revolt and deliberate disregard for the school’s image, the university took these measures not only to create an atmosphere of discipline, but also to facilitate the reformation of the mind. Despite the presence of such rules, some defaulters pretend to be fighting a losing battle.

The use of hard drugs is another bone of contention. This treacherous-looking powder affectionately referred to as “the white lady,” otherwise known as cocaine, is an all-time addictive personality. However, its indiscriminate use has led to the downfall of many. Its twin brother, the Cannabis sativa, also known as Marijuana or ‘igbo’, is not unknown to many. No invitation needed, the offensive odor finds its way into every nook and cranny of our environment; disrupting the ecosystem. However, it is also disheartening to realize that a majority of these drug users, despite being aware of the shortcomings of their health, are tied to the aprons of these drugs and continue to use them anyway. After smoking a wrap or bowl of these substances, you never know what to expect from or with them as they are given to display different shades of temperament.

Another crack in our wall of perfection is the desperate state of a certain organ of the executive arm of government. Every day you see them queuing at the side of the road, filling their pockets with the sweat of unhappy ‘customers’. They get so much joy out of glorifying bribes. As a novice student, who is well versed in the knowledge of the rights and wrongs of a socially and politically balanced society, there is no point in standing up to these cops as the mantra of most drivers driving on these roads is, “Better the devil you know than the devil you don’t know.” You can never tell if the next group of cops would demand an arm or a leg. It makes the appointment of this staff suspicious as one cannot distinguish those who entered on merit from those who smooth their way in.

Even innocent students are not spared the inconvenience. They are randomly hand-picked from buses, on top of bicycles; treated roughly and severely searched for “imaginary contraband” or even questionable bank warnings. This raises the question: what is the core task of the police?

It would be a great injustice not to mention another of our heartaches: the association of louts, commonly known as “touts”; although semantically misinterpreted. These louts show a level of unashamed confidence as they say, “I’m staff… can’t you see my ID?” It is no longer possible to come face to face with these lots.

Funnily enough, after a few drops – a bottle of liquor for some – they somehow develop the audacity to disrespect anyone using the back of their alleged “identity card” issued by deified godfathers. These godfathers of whom Niyí Osundare says, “come armed with sweet words, inflated promises, and a coffin that bribes with countless condescensions like the agama on the rock.” Unfortunately, there are many ways to kill without a sword.

In conclusion, it is imperative to admit all these shortcomings as everyone’s fault and remove anything that might be in our field of vision with regard to “righting” as many societal wrongs as possible. So this is a call for us to go back to the drawing board and build a positive society that we can proudly call our own.

• Temitope Moses is a student of Lagos State University