Facial scarification was quite popular in different parts of Nigeria. It often involves carving marks onto the forehead and the cheeks of kids as a means of identification. This practice was common among the Yoruba people of south-western Nigeria, the Nupe people of the middle belt region and the Igbo people of the south-east.

Today, practice has faded for several reasons. The most prominent reason is the law against child mutilation, passed by the National Assembly in 2003.

Scarification was considered necessary for beauty, recognition, or protection

Most cultures that engaged in scarification had different reasons for doing so. For instance, the marks in some southwest and southeast regions were placed for the protection of the child. In some communities, there was a belief that certain children were meant to pass away before they reached puberty.

These children were called Ogbanje or Abiku because they often had older siblings that died shortly after birth. The people believed that such children were destined to die, and so they marked them with scarification to prevent their spirit mates from recognizing them and taking them away. Science has proven that such children were probably killed by sickle cell anemia, which is common among black people.

In some cases, kids who lost their twin at birth are marked to prevent them from joining their twin. Other children were marked for identification purposes. This scarification made it possible to identify royalty and other members of the community without a hassle. It was also used to identify warriors on the battlefield.

Lastly, reincarnation was another reason for scarification. Where the community believed a person had reincarnated in his grandchild, they marked the child as the grandfather was before he passed.

The marks came in different forms and sizes. Some cover the entire cheeks while others only cover a small portion of the cheeks. When the cut is made, some herbs are poured into the wound to make it heal faster. That herb may also darken the scar, so it would produce the desired result.

Barbers and local circumcisers were responsible for facial scarification

When the practice was trendy, barbers and local circumcisers were making the cuts. They often use sharp blades with no anesthetics. This was considered by many as unsanitary and barbaric. In time, the country outlawed facial scarification as it amounted to child mutilation.

Since then, the practice has slowly died off. Some reasons for marking the face are no longer feasible. Members of the community have more access to healthcare and can determine the cause of their children’s illnesses without resorting to mutilating them.

Many recipients of tribal marks did not pass the tradition down to their children because they believed that the time of facial scarification had come and gone. Even before the act was outlawed, facial scarification had become less popular.

However, in some remote regions, this practice is still common. Some people still believe that the tradition is beautiful and it makes them stand out.