Ior Av,
It’s a wet Thursday in Lagos, Nigeria and I am glad it rained. People
have been enduring the high weather temperature in the last few days. It is the
day of relieve and we look forward to more relieve as the rainy season sets in
fully. I have come in the similitude of a Tiv from Benue State, Nigeria saying, 'My People'.
As a lad, there are names on my Grandmother’s arm, she told me it is called
“Soju” and why she had different names
written on her skin. When I got to Ilorin for my tertiary education; I came in
contact with another intricate patterns drawn on women in the market and some
corporate environment, I asked questions about it and I got to know this as one
of the traditional fashion style called “Lali”.
By the time, I got to Maiduguri, Borno State, before the Boko Haram days; I was
used to seeing it on women. Interestingly, when I returned to Lagos, I came in
touch with another set of patterns called tattoo. Let’s reflect on today’s
Versus Series as we consider Tattoo vs Lali.
