“Colourism in Nigeria: Breaking Free from the Shackles”

Growing up in Nigeria, I noticed something that always felt off but wasn’t often talked about—colourism. It’s that silent pressure that tells you lighter skin is better, prettier, or more acceptable. Even though most of us are Black, there’s still this deep-rooted belief that being lighter somehow makes you more valuable. We see it everywhere. From TV shows and music videos to beauty adverts and social media—light-skinned people are praised and put in the spotlight, while darker-skinned folks are often pushed aside. In Nollywood, how often do we see a dark-skinned woman as the love interest or the “rich wife”? Not that often. Recently, I came across a TikTok video that really triggered me. A woman was proudly showing off how she bleached her baby because the child was “too dark.” A baby. It was painful to watch—and honestly, heartbreaking. That kind of thinking doesn’t come out of nowhere. It comes from a society that teaches people to hate their own skin from a young age. What message does that send to a child about their worth? This obsession has created a huge skin-bleaching culture. People—especially women—are spending money and risking their health to lighten their skin. Some do it for beauty, others because they believe it will help them get jobs, be noticed, or even be treated better in relationships. And the worst part? Sometimes, the pressure comes from our own families. We hear things like “Don’t stay in the sun too long,” or “She’s pretty for a dark-skinned girl.” These comments may seem small, but they stick with us. Colourism didn’t start with us. It’s a leftover mindset from colonial times when white or lighter skin was seen as superior. Sadly, that mindset still exists today, passed down through generations. But things are slowly changing. More people are speaking up. Dark-skinned models, influencers, and artists are claiming their space and showing the world that melanin is beautiful. Movements on social media are helping others love the skin they’re in. And honestly, that’s powerful.It’s time we unlearn these harmful standards. Beauty comes in every shade, and our worth isn’t tied to how light or dark we are. Colourism may still be a part of our society, but the more we talk about it, the more we can break free from its hold.

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