Obafemi Awolowo University has denied issuing a dress code circular that went viral online. The document, previously debunked in 2023, has resurfaced.
A dress code circular attributed to Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, has resurfaced online, sparking controversy over alleged disciplinary rules for students’ appearance and conduct. Posted by a popular X account, Great Ife, the circular threatened rustication for wearing dreadlocks, shorts, heavy makeup, or hugging the opposite sex.
However, fact-checking by FIJ revealed that the document did not originate from the university. The same text had gone viral in August 2023 and was debunked by OAU spokesperson Abiodun Olarewaju, who reiterated this week: “That circular that you’re seeing did not emanate from the university.”
He confirmed that while OAU is considering a dress code, no official policy has been approved or released.
The viral post, which has garnered over 2.5 million impressions on X, was not shared by any official university or student union account.
Verdict: False. The circulating dress code document is not an official directive from OAU and remains a recycled hoax.