This is what a smug society looks like

On America's ban on sagging pants (II)
Lessons from America: let us copy this too
 (Published on Leadership Newspaper, Tuesday, June 25, 2013)

I am a true and proud Nigerian, an African. And like I always say, we can only be Nigeria, Africa, and that’s the best we can be. I have been genuinely concerned and most times perturbed by the crudeness of majority of Nigerian youths as regards what they wear in this part of the world and how they wear them. Originally, it was not in God’s plan that man should have something to cover his nakedness, perhaps because there was never going to be that consciousness of nudity, unless man had gone amiss. And that was it – Adam disobeyed God - and then he became conscious of his nakedness…and covered himself with leaves. And we are all descendants of the fallen man.

On April 16, 2013, I wrote an article on thescoopng.com titled ‘On America’s ban on sagging pants’. It was about the disgraceful and distasteful trend of “sagging,” and how a certain state in America had sanctioned it. Today the sagging practice is enjoying an appreciable level of popularity in our country than America or Europe. Sad! It is sad because sagging is an alien practice to us, we only copied. We have copied virtually everything from America and other super nations, as if we are cursed and condemned, as if we have no history or background. As if we have no place of our own. Nigeria’s democracy and constitution today is an imitation of the American pattern. Other countries have equally fashioned their government after the world power and it is working for them because they practice democracy accordingly, like America. But ours have become a military regime in disguise. We know, just that we have become helpless.

Through cultural imperialism America and Europe have invaded and sold everything to us. They even tell us what to wear and how to wear them. And like helpless children we have accepted them claiming equality with civilised worlds. But even in that we have, perhaps ignorantly, shown that we are culturally unworthy and uncivilsed. Let’s not be in haste, for civilization is not a straight traffic. There is no particular definition for civilsation. But I know that all attempts towards the definition have made reference to culture.  For instance, Stokes Brown defined it as "an advanced state of human society, in which a high level of culture, science, industry and government has been reached." For me, civilization is simply one’s sensitivity to societal norms, customs, values and culture.  But we have not been effectively sensitive and fair to our culture and values. Nigeria does not have the culture of running the street half naked in the name of fashion and trend. No nation is independent or self reliant. True. But we must not imitate anything that contradicts our culture and tradition.

Ironically, like you read in that article where I quoted Daily Trust to have published a story which says a certain Louisiana state in America had begun ban on sagging pants, America and other parts of Europe now look like people who had gone to sleep and suddenly woke up to a shocking reality. On April 15, 2013, TIME NewsFeed carried another report “CALIFORNIA SCHOOL BANS LEGGINGS BECAUES THEY WERE DISTRACTING BOYS.”  According to the story, “Leggings — the skintight alternative to pants, loathed by fashionistas and school administrators alike — are the subject of a growing number of school bans. Schools in Minnesota, Pennsylvania and Nova Scotia, Canada have all prohibited their students from wearing form-fitting clothing.” The report said leggings was becoming a distraction to boys. “When girls bend in leggings the threads spread and that’s really when it becomes a problem,” Emily Dunnagan, principal of Kenilworth Junior High, had reportedly told ABC. Previously TIME NewsFeed had published another story on the 14 April, 2013 that some British Schools are banning skirts. The schools are reported to have placed outright ban on skirts, forcing female students into slacks. You can read the story here http://newsfeed.time.com/2011/09/14/some-u-k-schools-ban-uniform-skirts-from-dress-code/.

So this is it, perhaps like Adam, America have heard the voice of God, having sinned, and is seeking a cover over her naked body. The ‘super’ nations are beginning to pick holes in some unworthy traditions that they have indiscriminately popularised over the years. And now they are making a conscious U-turn, a purposeful and willful retreat.

The words of Fukuzawa Yukichi, a Japanese author and political theorist comes to mind, that “civilization means not only comfort in daily necessities but also the refining of knowledge and the cultivation of virtue so as to elevate human life to a higher plane.” So, if everything from our super power friend nations is good, then I expect Nigerian authorities to take cue from this and save our culture. If our systems have failed us and the National Orientation Agency have lost relevance and purpose, then the families, schools and other social agents can take on the campaign and more importantly the media must not forget to be on the vanguard, that Nigerians may copy this too. God bless Nigeria!

- with Ikenna Ugwu