THE CHURCH AS AN AGENT OF SOCIAL CONTROL FOR COMBATING INDECENT DRESSING (A STUDY OF AMAGBA COMMUNITY IN OREDO LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA IN EDO STATE)
Augustine Nwanosike, Anyamene
Department of Sociology and Anthropology
Benson Idahosa University, Benin City
Email: aanyamene@biuedu.ng
ABSTRACT
This research examined the Church as an Agent of Social Control for combating indecent Dressing using Amagba Community in Oredo Local Government area in Edo State as case study. The objective of the study was to: find out the factors responsible for indecent dressing, find out the extent to which indecent dressing has generated immoral behavior among the youths in Amagba community, find out whether church preaching has made any difference among the youths in Amagba in adjusting their indecent dressing and to find out if church preaching has finally resulted in positive change in indecent dressing among the youths in Amagba community The source of data collection for this study was primary and secondary sources of data. All the data collected for the study were analyzed using chi-square (X2) method of data analysis to test the hypotheses formulated for the study The findings were that there is a relationship between indecent dressing and immoral behavior among the youths in Amagba community. It was observed that there is a significant difference between church preaching and indecent dressing among the youths in Amagba community. It was also revealed that there is a significant positive change between church preaching and indecent among the youths in Amagba community. The study therefore recommended amongst others that the church should constantly preach against indecent dressing and thereby make it a priority to instill good morals on the youth, the church should also organize seminar, workshops to further enlightened the youths on the need to always dress decently and the church should also engage the youths in capacity building and self-development skills so as to enable them desist from immoral acts occasioned from indecent dressing.
