Public figure Toke Makinwa has denounced the custom of identifying children with tribal markings, calling it inhumane treatment of minors done against their will.
On Sunday, Makinwa posted a number of messages on her X account expressing her disdain. Thinking back on a recent interaction with a prominent figure bearing tribal tattoos, Makinwa discussed her opinions on the long-standing custom.
She wrote, “I was reminded of the pain that culture has inflicted upon us today when I saw a gorgeous influencer with tribal marks. It is evil to mark a child as a way of identifying without the child’s consent; I realise our parents didn’t know any better, but dang!!!!
In her later posts, she made it clear that while she appreciates the beauty of those who have tribal marks on their bodies, she is more concerned about the lack of consent when marking minors for identification.
“Thank God it has been outlawed. My grandmother also had tribal tattoos. “I wonder what life was like when she was younger walking around with it, though I’m sure a lot of people around her had the same, but thank God it’s cancelled now,” the woman said, pointing to certain areas of her face and arms.
Toke Makinwa
After receiving harsh criticism from some X users, Toke Makinwa clarified in a subsequent post that the reason she didn’t approve of the marks was because there wasn’t enough consent, not because they were beautiful. It’s the absence of consent, not its beauty or lack thereof. However, she added, “I have seen a few stunning folks who had tribal marks (guardian.ng).
