Banner Online News

By Chukwudi Abiandu

Governor Sheriff Oborevwori’s administration in Delta State has found itself in the eye of a storm as civil servants and the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) Delta State Chapter rail against a newly enforced dress code for public workers.

The controversy, sparked by a circular from the Office of the Head of Service, Dr. Minnie Oseji, mandates suits and ties for senior officers, corporate wear for lower cadres, and skirts or gowns for women. It also bans braided or dyed hair, beards, artificial nails, and what it terms “provocative” dressing.

The state government insists that the directive is simply a reinforcement of long-standing civil service rules. Commissioner for Works (Rural Roads) and Public Information, Charles Aniagwu, told journalists that the policy was about “protecting the image of government and ensuring respect for public institutions.”

But the NLC has dismissed the explanation, calling the directive “elitist, insensitive, and colonial.” At a press conference on Tuesday, September 16, 2025, NLC Chairman, Comrade Goodluck Ofobruku, condemned the decision, arguing that it elevates Western fashion at the expense of Nigerian identity.

“Workers are already crushed by inflation above 30%. Instead of focusing on welfare, pensions, and living wages, the government is policing clothes,” Ofobruku said. “How does a suit and tie improve productivity? How does banning braided hair or beards improve service delivery?”

Beyond the substance of the policy, the union is angered by the process. Labour leaders say the government imposed the directive without consultation, describing it as authoritarian. “Policies that affect workers must be the product of dialogue, not decrees,” the NLC chairman stressed.

The fallout has raised broader questions about governance priorities. Critics argue that the government is fixated on an issue of appearance while leaving weightier challenges unattended — from the rising cost of transport, emerging sights of unattended to portholes on many streets, house rents that are hitting the roof, to poorly equipped schools and under-staffed health centres. Workers in the State Assembly are still waiting for approval of the CONLESS package, a commitment Oborevwori himself made during his State of the State address.

The dress code dispute, which some have branded “a goof that hits the governor below the belt,” risks denting Oborevwori’s image as a worker-friendly leader. For a governor who rose from the State Assembly to the top job, the accusations of authoritarianism sting even more.

Observers warn that if not carefully managed, the issue could snowball into industrial unrest. For now, it is imperative that the governor steps in personally, douse the tensions, and redirect focus to urgent socio-economic needs rather than what people see as a “mountain made out of a molehill.”

* Chukwudi Abiandu, is President/Editor-in- chief, Banner Communication Network, publishers of banneronlinenews.com