A viral video showing female students of the Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU), Ago-Iwoye, Ogun State, being checked for bras before being allowed into an examination hall has sparked a wave of backlash from students, alumni, and civil rights activists on social media.
The footage, which surfaced online on Tuesday, captured a number of female undergraduates standing in a queue at the university’s main campus while officials whose identities remain unclear inspected whether or not the students were wearing bras before allowing them into a computer-based test venue.
The action, which many have described as “invasive and degrading,” has reignited conversations around bodily autonomy, dress codes, and the limits of university policies in Nigeria.
Olabisi Onabanjo University OOU allegedly enforces the new “No bra, No entry” policy as exams start yesterday🙆🏼♂️ pic.twitter.com/84LEPveGvZ
— Oyindamola🙄 (@dammiedammie35) June 17, 2025
Speaking anonymously, one of the students affected disclosed that the checks were not a regular occurrence but are often enforced during examinations.
“They don’t do this every time. They will check you if you are wearing a bra. It has happened to me once, and even though I felt embarrassed, that is OOU and their nonsense,” She said.
Another student, who simply identified herself as Chioma, lamented what she described as a consistent pattern of disrespect for students.
“OOU doesn’t have respect for its students to the extent that ordinary security officers will be running after us because of slippers, shorts, and now bras. I like the fact that it has gone viral. Now they will be forced to realise how stupid they have been,” she fumed.
Reacting to the development, the President of the university’s Student Union Government (SUG), Muizz Olatunji, issued a statement via his social media accounts, confirming that the union had opened a dialogue with the school management.
“OOU Student Union has engaged with the institution to explore alternative approaches to addressing indecent dressing, focusing on respectful and dignified interactions between students and staff,” Olatunji said.
He, however, maintained that the “No bra, no entry” rule was not a newly introduced measure but part of the school’s long-standing code of conduct.
“We urge our female students to dress modestly. OOU promotes a dress code policy aimed at maintaining a respectful and distraction-free environment,” he stated.
The university’s method of enforcing the dress code, however, has come under intense criticism across various platforms. On X (formerly Twitter), users did not hold back in their disapproval.
One user, @truebenny001, wrote: “Foolishness of the highest order. These places are not universities. They are 3rd World degree marketing institutions.”
Another, @GoldenEhis, mocked the policy, suggesting male students should begin wearing bras in protest.
@Globecore2 tweeted, “If a university is more worried about bras than brains, then the real indecency is in their priorities,” while @ThisisSpaceman added: “Nigeria loves to pretend it’s modest but in the same schools where girls are lined up to check for bras, lecturers are demanding sex for grades. Fix the rot, not the bras.”
As of press time, the university’s management has yet to issue an official statement regarding the viral video.
Sodiq Lawal is a passionate and dedicated journalist with a knack for uncovering captivating stories in the bustling metropolis of Osun State and Nigeria at large. He has a versatile reporting style, covering a wide range of topics, from politics , campus, and social issues to arts and culture, seeking impact in all facets of the society.
