The Soft Issue
August 2017
Story from Within
COMPARING
DRESS CODES
By: Mary-ann Alonge
I
woke up with so much anticipation. All through the night,
I rolled on my bed, I could not wait for day to break. I
would be going to my beat for the first time. Being a
100-level student in my second semester, MAC112—
Writing for the Mass Media—is a compulsory course for
me. I have been assigned to Al-Hikmah University, Ilorin,
which is an Islamic institution. Being a person of Christian
faith, this was a little bit challenging for me.
I hopped in a taxi and left for my beat. A lot went through
my mind; what to expect; what not to expect; how the
school looked, etc. Information already reached me that to
gain entry into the school, one must dress like a Muslim.
Therefore, I already got myself a hijab from a Muslim
course-mate.
Few distance away from the school, I put on my hijab and
my new ID card. I am ready to gather news as a journalist-
in-the-making. I got down from the cab, looked around
for a minute, students littered the entrance of the school.
Ladies, well-dressed in their hijabs and qhimar. The men
are dressed neatly in their different attires. For a moment,
I felt like an alien. I noticed all of them staring at me, like;
Who’s this one? I did not know what amazed them until I
got to the gate. I approached the security officer.
“Good morning sir”, I saluted in the finest and well-polished
voice I could ever muster. He looked at me, a funny look
on his face.
“Yes, good morning, how may I help you?”
“My name is Alonge Mary-Ann from the Department of
Mass Communication, University of Ilorin, this is my ID card.
The school gate is
not so wide. There is
direct contact between
security officers,
students and other
people entering the
school. There is no
way you can smuggle
yourself in. You just
have to do what needs
to be done.
I showed it to him.
“Sir, I’m actually here to gather news in this school”. He
assessed me from head to toe. Then he said “Well, you are
welcome, but I’m sorry, you won’t be able to enter”. I felt
my heart skip.
He said first, my dressing was not proper. “But sir, I’m
wearing a hijab?” He replied, do you see any of the ladies
wearing trousers?” It dawned on me that finally, I did not
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the
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