What led me to skin bleaching in Canada – Actress Linda Osifo

Nollywood actress, Linda Osifo, has candidly shared her past thoughts of considering skin bleaching during her time in Canada due to racial discrimination.

Born in Benin City, Nigeria, and later relocating to Canada at the age of 16, the talented actress revealed that the racism she experienced was deeply traumatic because it often came from individuals she knew and interacted with regularly.

In a recent interview with media personality Chude Jideonwo, she discussed her experiences, with Chude asking, “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 responded, saying, “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.”

She went on to explain that these experiences occurred during her teenage years in Canada. She highlighted that one of the positive aspects of relocating back to Nigeria was being surrounded by individuals who shared her racial background, which boosted her self-esteem and self-acceptance.