Nigerians express diverse views on tattoos

Some residents of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have expressed different views on why people draw tattoos on their body.

The residents, in separate interviews with the newsmen on Monday in Abuja, said some got tattoos for beautification while others did it for identification or representation.

Miss Famoofo Ayomitide, a virtual assistant, said that she admired those with body tattoos and believed they were tattooed for different reasons.

“I think they like the way it looks.

“I know a friend who got a tattoo because of the death of someone she holds close to her heart.

“She got it because of how significant it is and for the memories they shared,” she said.

Similarly Mr Mboho Ubong, a lawyer, said that he believed people design tattoos on their bodies because of how beautiful it looked on the skin.

“Sometimes, people get tattoos because of the memories or the pictures of it carries.

“Some people also draw tattoos to show their love to their lovers, either using their name or their image,” Ubong said.

Another resident, Mr Atomore John, a realtor, said that some people drew tattoos because they want to belong to the trend.

According to him, a category of people may fancy a celebrity who has tattoos; and in a way to identify with that celebrity, do same.

“Some go as far as getting the image of the celebrity drawn on their body as part of identification”, Atomore said.

Miss Happiness Eraighigbe, a student, said she believed some people just loved the beauty of art and would want to see it on their skin, rather than frames.

Others, she added, may have it drawn due to peer pressure.

She said that some tattooed symbols and graphics that had deeper meanings or represent something important to them.

“It will amaze you to know that some people are drawn to the feeling of pain the needle of the tattoo gun gives.

“It is like a sweet sour feeling they get and seem to enjoy it,” she said.

Meanwhile, Mallam Yunusa Abubakar, a Muslim cleric, said that although people got tattoos for different reasons, it was considered haram in Islam.

According to him, it is like altering Allah’s creation.

“Prophet Abdullah Ibn Masud has cursed those who draw tattoos and the one who the tattoo was drawn for”, Abubakar said.

He, however, cautioned those who got tattoos to ensure they stayed free from infected devices in order not to endanger their lives.