By Olamilekan FAWAS
Some traders in Balogun Market on the Lagos Island Local Government Area of Lagos have expressed mixed reactions to the increasing rate of indecent dressing among young female Nigerians.
The traders expressed their feelings on Tuesday after hoodlums harassed a girl in the market for dressing indecently, touching her body and booing her with all sorts of names.
The ruffians who clapped their hands called “Asewo”, “Oloshi” and “Olosho N50” meaning she sells her body for N50.
The traders, said that they saw one Miss Chidinma Okonkwo, early on Tuesday while she was being harassed by some ruffians because of her indecent dressing.
A cloths trader, Mr Tunde Azeez, who believed that Chidinma dressed indecently, said he was disappointed at the rate girls dressed exposing their bodies when they go out, especially when they come into the market.
“This is the reason why there are rape incidents and some men look down on women as sexual objects.
“Some of these girls dressed this way believing it to be the trending fashion with no regards to how they appear, therefore, the girl deserve what she got,’’ he said.
A food seller, Mrs Chinyere Ogbonna, said she was not happy with the way Chidinma was harassed but it was her fault and she advised young people to dress well.
“Nowadays, we see girls dressing indecently in `half made dresses` and this does not portray good morals.
“My advice is that people should learn to dress decently as their appearance describes who they are, especially young girls in order to avoid harassment or even rape,’’ she said.
Miss Blessing Nwata, a shoe trader who said she was in support of Chidinma, expressed the belief that she had not dressed indecently and therefore should not be harassed.
“The girl was not dressed indecently, besides even if she was, that should not be an excuse for harassment from the ruffians,’’ she said.
Miss Chidinma who was harassed said that she was not dressed indecently and complained that she and some of her friends were always harassed by the ruffians no matter how they dressed.
“It is becoming a norm. This is not the first time I would be harassed, though I have got used to it.
“I am always harassed by these ruffians no matter how I dress, besides harassment of women should be stopped; indecent dressing should not be a reason for harassing females,’’ she said.
