Putting Tribal Marks on a Child Without Consent is Evil – Toke Makinwa

Renowned media personality Toke Makinwa has spoken out against the traditional practice of imposing tribal marks on children without their consent, denouncing it as a form of cruelty.

Makinwa took to her X account on June 16, 2024, to express her strong disapproval of the age-old practice after encountering a beauty influencer adorned with tribal marks.

In her post, Makinwa reflected on the inherent cruelty of marking children without their consent for identification purposes. She wrote, “Today I saw a beautiful beauty influencer with tribal marks and it made me think about the cruelty that culture brought upon us. Marking a child without his/her consent as a means of identification is Evil, I know our parents didn’t know any better but damnnnn!!!!”

Throughout her series of posts, Makinwa reiterated her appreciation for the beauty of individuals with tribal marks but emphasized the importance of obtaining consent before such markings are made.

Acknowledging her own family history, Makinwa shared that her grandmother also bore tribal marks, prompting her to ponder the challenges faced by individuals who bore such marks in the past.

However, Makinwa clarified that her concern lies not in the aesthetic value of tribal marks but in the lack of consent involved in their imposition on children. “It’s not the beauty or lack of but the lack of consent. But yeah, I’ve seen a couple of beautiful people with tribal marks,” she affirmed in response to backlash from some X users.

When one user attempted to draw a comparison between tribal marks and tattoos, Makinwa firmly differentiated between the two, emphasizing that tattoos are a choice whereas tribal marking of children lacks the element of consent.

Makinwa’s outspoken criticism has sparked conversations about the cultural significance of tribal marks and the need for cultural practices to evolve in line with contemporary values and respect for individual autonomy.