Linda Osifo, a prominent Nollywood actress, has recounted her personal experience with the strains of colorism.
Linda Osifo said that when she visited Canada, she considered whitening her skin due to racial epithets.
The ebony actress, who was reared in Canada after leaving Benin City, Nigeria, when she was 16, said the racism she faced disturbed her since it came from within.
She revealed this in a recent interview with media personality Chude Jideonwo.
She added that returning to Nigeria and seeing many others who look like her made her appreciate her skin tone and feel more comfortable in her skin.
During the conversation, Chude, asked:
“You talked about wanting to bleach your skin because when you grow up people would call me a monkey (sic). [Did] this literally happen?”
Linda Osifo Osifo replied: “Yeah. It happens absolutely. And it happens from your shade too, you know. So, that’s why it’s even more of a weird thing.
“I always feel that those who get bullied, don’t get bullied by outsiders. It’s from within. Because if somebody else says it, you may not care but if somebody who is around you, who you are always kinda seeing every other day says it, it hurts more.
“This was when I was a teenager in Canada. The positive aspect of moving [back] to Nigeria, was seeing more of individuals who look just like me.”
