When it comes to facial beauty in Nigeria, tribal marks are no longer a trend, especially among the younger generation.

In the past, tribal marks were regarded as a means of identification, serving to indicate one's place of origin. It was a simple way to distinguish between individuals from different place, such as an Owu man from an Oyo man despite that they are both Yoruba speakers.

These tribal marks were obtained by using sharp objects to scar an infant's skin, typically on the face, for identification purposes.

However, tribal marking has become increasingly rare in recent years due to changing societal norms, urbanization, and higher levels of education. Initiatives have even been undertaken to discourage the practice, as many now perceive it as a form of physical abuse.

Nevertheless, there are individuals who proudly embrace their tribal marks and wield significant influence. For instance, skin_carebyshade on Instagram and shade_bum on Twitter is a skincare influencer with 23 tribal marks. In a Twitter post from 2019, she humorously remarked, "It's always amusing when I see people with two or four tribal marks complaining and cursing their parents. Like, what am I supposed to do? I have 23 tribal marks."

Despite occasional trolling on the internet, particularly when she posts pictures on Twitter, she embodies the idea of "embracing one's beauty." In one of her tweets, she stated, "Most of y'all talk about how we should be angry at our parents because of these tribal marks, but people with the marks are actually cool with it, or should I say, I am cool with it. Stop making us feel like it is something to be sad about."

Another individual who proudly embraces her tribal marks is Hasoye, known on Twitter as Hasoye1, who said, "I love my tribal mark always... own it." She also tweeted “The way Nigerians react to tribal mark is ridiculous!!!…cos it’s not foreign?? If I had written a tattoo, it is aesthetic, nah that’s some ridiculous thinking shit!”

It's crucial to understand that subjecting others to trolling is a form of harassment. Regardless of one's physical characteristics or cultural heritage, everyone should be treated with dignity and respect. Cyberbullying is a serious issue that can have severe emotional and psychological repercussions for the victim.

Both online interactions and society as a whole must promote empathy, understanding, and respect for diversity. Cyberbullying should be strongly discouraged, and communities and online platforms should take action to confront and prevent it. Both online and offline, it's essential to foster an inclusive and compassionate atmosphere.

Image courtesy - Shade_bum

Otuosoro Ranjo